League: Hikurangi grab first win in returning season

Hikurangi, Takahiwai and Moerewa all picked up wins in the latest round of the RLN Premiership. Photo/Getty Images

The Hikurangi Stags celebrated their first win since re-entering the Rugby League Northland premiership this year as the Northern Wairoa Bulls failed to capitalise on home ground advantage at Memorial Park.

Early tries were traded and the first one was particularly enterprising when Hikurangi standoff Daniel Fulop kicked early on their first attacking set to frame a foot race between opposing outside backs.

Hikurangi flyer Kaylib Heke won the sprint to gather the ball and feed second-rower Cyrus Edwards to score in the opening minutes.

Bulls hooker Tuaka Mau replied shortly after with a try of his own as the host side worked down field and put Mau into good field position to score from the ruck.

The first half saw the Bulls guilty of too many handling errors with a couple of real coach killers when first receivers knocked on the ball from post-try restarts twice in a row, gifting the Stags more possession.

However the home side, to their credit, were dogged in defence and repelled the resurgent opposition after repeat sets on Northern Wairoa's tryline.

Tied up 22-all at the break both teams returned to the field refocused and with sharper ball skills that set up an arm-wrestle between both sides as they battled for ascendancy.

With neither side prepared to give the tension was broken with a melee shortly after a scrum and match official Ian Collis sent a player from each side to cool down for 10 minutes.

It was during this period, and 25 minutes into the second half, that Dargaville's Conrad Tui crossed to put the hosts in front for the first time in the match.

The Bulls started giving away possession again with poor handling presenting Hikurangi with the opportunity to work their way into the opposition 20 and score through second rower Adrian Hemara.

With game tied up going into the final minutes and both teams looking for their first win of the premiership it was a loose arm in a high tackle from Northern Wairoa that presented kicker Daniel Fulop with his hardest kick of the day a few metres from the sideline.

A successful kick followed to the delight of the visiting team, sealing victory and gaining two competition points.

In the other fixtures over the weekend, Takahiwai Warriors repeated their grand final win in 2016 with a more comfortable 36-12 win over Otangarei.

Otangarei were unable to stop the Takahiwai onslaught, who are yet to be beaten. Takahiwai retain the Harry Clyde Challenge Cup.

The other unbeaten side in 2017, Moerewa Tigers, demolished Hora Hora 74-0.