RUGBY: Dad, son battle for bragging rights

SHANE HURNDELL
Sam McNicol didn't talk to his father Alan at dinner time last night.
It's been like that for almost six weeks now but it was extra quiet last night.
"I don't even sit in my usual seat next to him," said 11-year-old Sam.
His Napier East side takes on the Napier West side which is coached by his father in a key final round game in the Wakely Shield under-50kg rugby tournament at Taradale's Carters Arms Park today.
"Beating them will be easy," said second five-eighth Sam.
Those were brave words to SportToday considering his side has won just two of their four outings to date and his Dad's unbeaten outfit yesterday beat the only other previously unbeaten side Hastings West 22-15.
The pair are in opposing sides because Sam attends St Patrick's School which is in the Napier East zone for the tournament, but the McNicol family is connected with the Taradale Rugby Club in the Napier West zone.
A former Napier C and D grade representative, Sam played for a Taradale 11th grade side for which his Dad was a first-year coach this season. Their family has been in the Bay for six years after moving from Feilding, where Alan played for the Feilding Yellows club.
For the past six weeks Sam hasn't allowed his Dad to come to any of his side's trainings in case he picked on some of their game plans.
"I went to one of his pre-season games. And I've even been yelling out in support of his team when they've played after us this week," said Alan.
He was rapt with his Napier West side's performance against Hastings West.
"The boys played their hearts out," said Alan, who almost lost his voice yelling out encouragement.
Sam didn't say anything, but it was easy to work out he was hoping the old man loses more than his voice today. However it will be a major upset if the Napier West side isn't posing for the SportToday photographer with the Wakely Shield this afternoon.
* Scorers: Napier East 17 (Legion Porter, Darron Burton, Peter Oliver tries; Logan Gowler con), Wairoa 12 (Grayson Kereru 2 tries; Brian Jury con). Player-of-the-match: Kereru. Napier West 22 (Hotene Rikki, Ross Price, Dylan Ramsey, Josh Timu tries; Graeme Tyron con), Hastings West 15 (Liam Stop, Liam Ward, Taniera Miratana tries). Player-of-the-match: Timu.
Hastings East 24 (Timothy Walker, Scott Brocklehurst, Shayden King-Edwards, Sam Barry tries; Harrison Cater 2 cons), Central 5 (Matthew Herries). Player-of-the-match: Luke Petherick. Standings: Napier West 19, Hastings West 16, Hastings East 14, Napier East 8, Wairoa 1, Central 0.