Gone shooting: Team fined after 10 of 15 rugby players choose ducks over rucks

Central supporter Willie Tulley (left) and players Jason Cutbush and Tomo Fogarty prepare for day one of the duck shooting season. Photo/Supplied

Central players are prepared to risk a fine of up to $500 following their decision to put duck shooting ahead of play in Saturday's round of Hawke's Bay's premier club rugby competition.

Northfuels Central manager Ian Large confirmed Friday that a combination of injuries and today's opening day of the duck shooting season forced the team to default their ninth round Tui Nash Cup encounter against Tremains Andrew Clark Clive at Farndon Park.

"Ten of the 15 players unavailable will be away duck shooting. Others including two of our props have niggly injuries so we wouldn't have been able to field a front row. Our reserve grade team's players are also unavailable because they don't play this weekend and our colts players are straight out of college so it wouldn't have been fair to play them at premier grade level," Large explained.

"Defaulting is not the thing we like doing and it's not good for Hawke's Bay Rugby either. Our team, not the club, will pay the fine," Large said.

He pointed out many of his players travel out of the province for duck shooting to regions including Waikato and Whanganui.

"In future we will look at hosting a home game on the opening day of duck shooting season so players shooting in the Bay will still be available for the match as has been the case in past seasons.

"We'll be back next week to hit the start of the Maddison Trophy round with all guns blazing," he added, referring to their first round match in the more prestigious club competition, a home fixture against Tamatea.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union's club development officer Gary Macdonald said while the Central team is unlikely to be fined the maximum penalty of $500 because of the early notice (Central notified the union and Clive club on Tuesday night) the team will still be fined and the money will be given to the Clive club to help compensate for their lack of revenue because of the default.

"This is our third default in the premier grade this season and that's disappointing. We make a point of passing on fine money to the host club in all grades as we know how much lost revenue can hit them, especially one-team clubs like Porangahau," Macdonald said.

Clive coach Vaine Maui said while his team appreciated the early notice they were eager for a polished rehearsal before beginning their Maddison Trophy defence with an away clash against Taradale Rugby and Sports.

Other premier grade defaults this season saw Clive lose five competition points when they were scheduled to play Havelock North in round four and MAC experience the same fate a fortnight ago when they were scheduled to play Napier Old Boys Marist on Good Friday.

Unbeaten Taradale Rugby and Sports can afford to draw today's away game against Progressive Meats Havelock North at Anderson Park and win the Nash Cup. Taradale also hold the Cooper-O'Dwyer Cup which is up for grabs when the two teams meet.

It was donated by Taradale life member and former Magpies manager Ian Cooper and his former Magpies assistant manager and Havelock North club stalwart, the late Geoff O'Dwyer, in 2007.

Havelock North will miss the services of former Hurricanes, Magpies and Southland Stags loosie Tony Lamborn who is in Wellington providing injury cover for the Melbourne Rebels team.

Tony Lamborn is in Wellington this week helping the Melbourne Rebels prepare to take on his former Hurricanes team. Photo / Photosport

"Tony has played well for us in recent weeks. It's good to see him back in Super Rugby contention and that will be good for him in his quest to make the United States team for the World Cup," villagers manager Gary Revell said.

Lamborn, 27, played four games for the Hurricanes in 2016, the same year he made his debut for the United States.

Revell said his troops know they have an opportunity to stop Taradale from winning the Nash Cup but their main focus is on continuing to build for the Maddison Trophy competition.

"If we can build on what we did against Napier Old Boys Marist [a 48-38 loss] last weekend we will be happy."

WIT Napier Old Boys Marist will retain the Nash Cup if they secure maximum points against Tamatea at Park Island and Taradale fail to secure any points against the villagers.

However Taradale should beat Havelock North by nine and NOBM have the potential to beat Tamatea by at least 23 points.

In other games Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical should pip MAC by seven at Flaxmere Park and Auto Super Shoppe Hastings Rugby and Sports have the ammunition to best Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports by 11 at Elwood Park.