MADDISON TROPHY: Crash puts pair out of 12-0 win

SHANE HURNDELL
One of Hastings Rugby and Sports two car-crash victims, winger Dan Stemp, was hurting in more ways than one on Saturday.
"I'm gutted I couldn't be out there. But it's good the boys are two from two in this round," Stemp said after watching United Gaming Hastings Rugby and Sports beat Clive 12-0 in a second round Tui Maddison Trophy premier fixture at Nelson Park.
Stemp suffered a broken nose, a couple of broken ribs and had a couple of stitches to a cut above the eye when he and flanker Matt Egan were involved in a car crash on the way to their team's training at Elwood Park on Thursday night.
Egan suffered a severe case of whiplash and was unable to attend the victory.
"It was a head-on collision in wet conditions," said Stemp, who flats with Egan and Havelock North's Justin Wilson.
Egan would have been impressed with the Hastings forward pack's effort against Clive. It played the better wet weather rugby than the Clive unit with hooker Jamie Muir and lock Will Crutchley particularly impressive.
As the score indicates, the Hastings side's defensive effort was superb. And so was Clive's in the second half.
Former Clive winger Ray Karauria opened the scoring with a try in the 14th minute after a clever solo run and Muir scored the second with a hard straight run up the guts in the 32nd minute. With 13 tries Karauria is three ahead of Stemp in the battle for their team's top tryscorer's award.
Captain and openside flanker Karl Lowe had a high workrate for Clive until retiring injured.
Defending champions Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports remain winless after being pipped 16-14 by Taradale at Carters Arms Park.
"Our first half was the best performance of the season but our intensity dropped off in the second," said Pirate coach Jon Matthews.
Lock Reon Watts, flanker and captain Matt Head and prop Hoki Ward all performed well in the Mighty Maroons pack. Second five-eighth Josh Mahoni was the pick of the hosts backs.
Loose forwards Pama Petia and Alex Tulou battled effectively in the losing pack while captain and first five-eighth Aayden Clarke operated well in general play.
Tamatea coach Matt Marsh said the filming of television programme DIY Marae at his club's Waipatu Marae base was a key factor in his side's 46-14 loss to Napier Old Boys Marist at Park Island.
"It's a big weekend for the marae and it took the boys focus away from the game a bit.
"Most of them didn't turn up till 10 minutes before kick-off," Marsh said.
NOBM co-coach Jason McDowell was proud of his side's forward effort. Prop Hayden Penny and lock Alan Gardiner, who celebrated his 42nd birthday on Friday, were tireless workers.
New Zealand Maori first five-eighth Matt Berquist relished the domination of his pack and controlled play well. He succeeded with all eight of his attempts at goal for an 18-point haul.
NOBM'S polished defensive work meant Tamatea's star No.8 Nui Bartlett was given little freedom.
This season's unbeaten roll continued for Nash Cup champions Progressive Meats Havelock North with a 31-3 win against Central at Anderson Park.
However it was only during the final 20 minutes that Havelock, who led 11-3 at the interval, ran away from their visitors.
Magpies halfback Danny Lee and loose forward Luke Ottley provided strong impact off the bench for the hosts.
Hooker Graham Hawkins and Adam Bradey toiled tirelessly in the battle of the packs and midfielders Andy Barham and Davis Norman again operated well.