Hawke’s Bay club rugby: Taradale make winning start with new coach, birthday boy scores three

Taradale No. 8 Iakopo Petelo Mapu on a bustling run during his side's win over Tamatea on Saturday. Photo / Ian Cooper

Taradale’s new coach and former captain Namatahi Waa says there were plenty of nerves going into his first game in charge of the club on Saturday, but he was happy to get off to a winning start for the 2023 season.

Taradale Rugby and Sports Club started slowly against Tamatea on Saturday afternoon in Hastings, but flexed their muscles as the game wore on to run away convincing winners 56-7 during round two of the Hawke’s Bay premier rugby competition.

Taradale have a target on their backs as the team to beat this year after lifting the Maddison Trophy in 2022.

The club had a bye in round one and joined Napier Tech, Napier Old Boys Marist, Central Hawke’s Bay and Napier Pirate with wins in round two at the weekend.

Coach Waa, who is a former Super Rugby player and captained Taradale to a Nash Cup-Maddison Trophy double in 2021, said it was not an easy job watching on from the sidelines.

“To be honest, I sort of get more nervous coaching than actually doing the playing, which is a weird thing.

Tamatea's Ethan Ramsay charges down a kick from Taradale's Ezra Malo. Photo / Ian Cooper

“You can play rugby in front of a crowd, but when it is out of your control, the nerves are a bit more [pronounced].

“But I settled in, and the nerves calmed down.”

He said he was overall “pretty pleased” with his side’s performance, and said flanker Kinghouse Tupuola and fullback Brayden Lansdown-Cunningham had particularly strong games, the latter of whom picked up three tries just a day after his 25th birthday.

Tamatea had the scores locked up at 7-7 after 15 minutes thanks to a try to Sawelio Macenalagi, but Taradale’s class and superior size in the forward pack proved too much as the game progressed.

Lansdown-Cunningham said of his three tries: “They were just handed to me [by my teammates], those ones”, and it was good to have a first hit out for the season.

One area of improvement will be from the kicking tee for Taradale, who nailed just three of 10 conversions on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Napier Tech shot to the top of the ladder with an emphatic 78-0 win over Aotea in Napier.

Tamatea's Ethan Miller is tackled by his opposite number, Taradale's Nathan Ramsay. Photo / Ian Cooper

Hawke’s Bay premier rugby competition (round two):

Napier Old Boys Marist 49 (Tries: Hannon Brighouse, Kade Manuel-Green, Mitchell Gibson (2), Josh Gimblett, Paoraian Manuel-Harman, Michael Beech; Conversions: Jonty Stewart (7)) defeated Havelock North 5 (Try: William Underwood)

Central Hawke’s Bay 34 (Tries: Kaliova Mocetadra, Joseph Elisha, Jeri Kavekai (2); Conversions: Jordan Soli (4); Penalties: Jordan Soli (2)) defeated Hastings 8 (Try: Titi Motusaga; Penalty: Oscar Sowman)

Napier Pirate 26 (Tries: Tipene Maxwell, Luke Russell, Al Momoisea (2); Conversions: Lincoln-Blake Bowman (3)) defeated Clive 23 (Tries: Bronson Hokianga, Sam Wong; Conversions: Tianua Poto (2); Penalties: Tianua Poto (3))

Napier Tech 78 (Tries: Liam Udy-Johns (2), Bayden Brewer (2), Pevelise Faumuina (2), Timothy Farrell, Tamati Samuels, Waitangi Tuisuga, Nik Patumaka, Troy McIvor, Perrin Manuel; Conversions: Sheridan Rangihuna (6), Waitangi Tuisuga, Bayden Brewer) defeated Aotea 0

Taradale 56 (Tries: Ezra Malo, Hemaua Samasoni, Josh Eden-Whaitiri, Brayden-Trevaughn Lansdown-Cunningham (3), Iakopo Petelo Mapu, Junior Saufoi, Majella Tufuga, Nathan Ramsay; Conversions: Ezra Malo, Brayden-Trevaughn Lansdown-Cunningham, Dylan Ramsay) defeated Tamatea 7 (Try: Sawelio Macenalagi; Conversion: Oranga Harris)

MAC Sports bye

Table (after two rounds): Napier Tech 10, Napier Old Boys Marist 10, Central Hawke’s Bay 7, Taradale 5, Napier Pirate 5, Aotea 5, MAC Sports 4, Hastings 4, Havelock North 2, Clive 1, Tamatea 0.