League: Warriors whip Falcons

Pikiao Warriors' coach Doug Unuwai has signalled his team will be hitting their straps by the time they meet their arch-rivals Ngongotaha this weekend.

After an easy 74-4 win over Forestland Falcons at the weekend, the coach said his side had little time to sit back and enjoy the spoils of victory.

"We're still not hitting our straps at the moment. We're still not 100 per cent yet but the boys are starting to chime together ...

"They are starting to get things together but these last two games haven't been beneficial for us.

"But I've set a platform, four weeks we will be hitting our straps and next week is our fourth game and we should be hitting our straps by then," Unuwai said.

"We had a tough one first game up and we've had two comfortable games and next week is going to be a real test for us."

The match against a depleted Tokoroa side resembled more a full contact training run for Pikiao with the side piling on 14 tries to one.

Forestland turned up to Puketawhero Park with only 12 players with coach Riki Nicholls saying his side had been hit hard by injury and player availability.

Despite a huge effort by the boys in blue they could not hold back a rampant Pikiao side.

Unuwai's senior players were instrumental in the sides success with Te Kaiaotea "Bully" Tahuriorangi and BJ Raroa picking up a hat-trick of tries and lock Percy King a powerhouse scoring two tries and kicking four goals.

Connor Hohepa who - made his premiership debut last season at fullback - has made a move into the centres this season and looks to have made his mark in the position, contributing two tries as well as making a number of attacking breaks on the right hand side of the ruck.

However, Pikiao will have to look to improve when it comes to their discipline with the side giving away silly penalties which gave a side with only 12 men the opportunity to get momentum.

Unuwai said they couldn't afford to do that against a team such as Ngongotaha.

"Even though we had a good win, the boys themselves are not happy with their performance. They still know, we have to do some more work and I like to hear that from the players when they come to me and say 'we still need more work'."

Pikiao take on Ngongotaha on Saturday in what is surely to be a tough encounter for both sides, especially after Ngongotaha lost to Taupo 42-24.

In other matches in the round, Pacific were too strong for Turangi 42-16.

In the reserves, Central beat Pacific 52-22, Pikiao beat Tauhara by default, Taupo lost to Mangakino 28-26 and Reporoa beat Ngongotaha 36-26.

Pikiao Warriors 74 (Percy King 2, Connor Hohepa 2, Te Kaiaotea "Bully" Tahuriorangi 3, James Ryan, Pirikawana Taiatini, BJ Raroa 3, Otene Te Rangi, Rys Hohepa, tries; Percy King 3 gls, Te Kaiaotea Tahuriorangi 1, Rhys Hohepa 4 gls) Forestland Falcons 4 (Anthony Dawson try) Halftime: 32-4.