RUGBY: MAC's heady heights miss TV bright lights

It's amazing what the promise of some television coverage does for a Hawke's Bay premier club rugby side ... just ask MAC coach Anthony Morley.
His side upset defending champions Carters Frame and Truss Taradale 18-14 in a first-round Tui Maddison Trophy encounter played at the neutral venue of Napier's Whitmore Park on Saturday after the weekend's atrocious weather forced a transfer from MAC's home ground - Flaxmere's Ron Giorgi Park.
Highlights of the game were to screen on Sky's Grassroots show on Thursday night but the conditions forced the TV crew to cancel.
"That's our first victory against Taradale in 25 years. There were lots of blue umbrellas here today, the boys are buoyant and there was plenty of emotional jubilation," Morley told SportToday as he struggled to drown out the yells of joy from the side's dressing room.
"For us to score three tries in those conditions and get close to a bonus point fourth was a huge feat. Had the game gone on much longer somebody was going to drown," said Morley.
He was full of praise for the defensive effort from his side and attributed this success to the work put in by co-coach and former All Black captain Taine Randell.
MAC has conceded six tries in their past five games - a huge improvement from the previous two seasons where they were conceding an average of six per game.
Props Whetu Barber and TJ Edwards and blindside flanker Everard Reid were again prominent as MAC recorded their third win of the season.
Taradale coach Stu Cruden was quick to praise his opponents' victory in a match he said "could have gone either way". He pointed out his side missed the services of Magpies halfback Chris Eaton, who had withdrawn through injury.
Former Hawks' basketballer Dwayne Davies, playing at lock, blindside flanker Andrew Gardner and first five-eighth Andrew Horrell all made Cruden's MVP list.
Former All Black Bryn Evans threw plenty of kudos the way of his brother and fellow lock Rhys Evans after he produced a player-of-the-match performance in Havelock North's 20-8 win against Nash Cup champions Napier Technical at another neutral venue of Taradale's Tareha Reserve.
"That's one of the better games I've seen Rhys play," the injured Evans told Havelock manager Conrad Waitoa afterwards. Flanker Adam Bradey, who is relishing his senior role with the Havelock outfit, and tighthead prop Emmanuel Maui were others to shine for the winners.
All Black winger Zac Guildford was a second-half replacement for a Tech side which were guilty of rushing things too much in the first half, according to manager Cyril Whitburn.
"We came back well in the second spell but the Havelock forwards had done the damage in the first half," said Whitburn before nominating No 8 Daren Deely, hooker Jamie Muir and prop Josh Keys as his side's best.
Clive manager Alan "Porky" Nisbet was quick to thank SportToday for providing the motivational ammunition for his team's 20-8 win against Russell Roads Hastings Rugby and Sports at Farndon Park - their third victory of the season. We had predicted a comfortable win for their visitors.
With Hurricanes flanker Karl Lowe playing a full game and prop Nathan Bruce again industrious the Clive pack adapted to the conditions better than the Hastings forwards.
Centre Billy Ropiha and fullback Herman Ah Kiong made valuable contributions to the hosts' backline.
Last year's runners-up Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports opened their account with a 17-5 win against Central at Waipukurau.
Winger Steve Kaua, who scored two tries, openside flanker Dane McCarthy and fullback Kris Alexander all made coach Phil Rumpler's MVP list.
Lock Stu Smith, who scored the hosts' only try, second five-eighth Steve Baker and hooker Tyler Ashworth all made Central's MVP list.