Ross Shield
Rugby
CLASSY captains are those who can make adjustment to change as required and still maintain their own as well as the team's high standards.
Hastings East manager Ian Horse field heaped kudos on both of his co-captains, prop One Lolofie and Cooper Flanders, after they opened their Heinz Wattie's Ross Shield campaign with a 36-8 win against Wairoa in Dannevirke yesterday. Flanders deserved the most as he switched from his regular position of first five-eighth to second five-eighth and produced a player-of-the-match performance.
He had to make the switch after Rawiri Teneti failed to reach the 56kg weight limit for the 114th edition of the Hawke's Bay Primary Schools tournament. Wairoa winger Arana Keefe-Waiwai also got the thumbs down and while the pair are unable to play they still get billeted and are still able to be part of the tournament experience.
Wairoa coach Sid Ropitini said his team doesn't boast the same depth as last year's with only three players back again but he was still impressed with their effort. Openside flanker Materoa Edwards had a huge defensive workrate and lock Fagan Hook-Robertson toiled well considering it was his first game in a month because of his boxing commitents.
Dannevirke coach Gerard McKay had every right to be proud of his team's effort during a 28-7 loss to Hastings West. They trailed 28-0 at halftime and won the second half.