League: Tamaki lost without Warriors

A Tamaki side depleted by the loss of its two Warriors to the New Zealand Residents side were thumped 38-8 by visitors Canterbury in the Bartercard Cup on Saturday.

The result pushes the Leopards into a three-way tie with North Harbour and Waitakere, who thumped Waicoa Bay 62-10 last Monday night.

The Auckland Lions remain the team to beat on 21 points but they and most other sides had a bye in a split round to allow for the Residents' four-way tournament against Australian sides in Rotorua over the past week.

Canterbury are secure in second spot with 18 competition points before the drop back to the next three, tied on 12. The Jetz and Harbour remain in the hunt for the fourth playoff spot with 11 points and Counties-Manukau can leap-frog the rest tonight if they beat Central Falcons, as they should, in the game on Maori TV at 8pm. The Falcons, Wellington and the Northern Storm look to be gone.

The Bulls led 14-0 after 20 minutes against a Leopards side missing Warriors prop George Tuakura and wing Cooper Vuna on Saturday. Bulls wing Lee Fidow cut through a huge hole on Tamaki's right side for the next try then Daniel Metcalfe produced a chip-and-regather to extend the lead to 26-0.

The Leopards' only first-half points came when half Mana Ashford ran off a scrum and angled past the defence.

Fidow scored his second try in similar fashion to his first after 65 minutes, then the Leopards replied through their wing Taavili Leauanoa, the game stuck for long periods between the two 20-metre lines. Gareth Cook scored late for the Bulls and they added a penalty for the final scoreline.

The standard Bartercard Cup curtainraiser for Warriors games will be replaced by a turnout of former Kiwis against an invitational side including Kiwis coach Brian McClennan ahead of the next home game against the Parramatta Eels on July 15.

Included in the ex-Kiwis are greats Gary Freeman, Kurt Sorensen and James Leuluai. The invitational team includes McClennan's Kiwis adviser Graeme Norton.

The Waitakere-Wellington game that was scheduled as Warriors curtainraiser shifts to the Glen Eden ground of the Glenora Bears at 2pm that afternoon.

FORMER GREATS

Ex-Kiwis Team
Kurt Sorensen, Gary Freeman, Gary Kemble, Francis Leota, Tony Iro, Sam Panapa, Jason Lowrie, Mark Bourneville, Richard Blackmore, Duane Mann, Tony Tatupu, Dean Clark, Tea Ropati, Joe Ropati, Iva Ropati, Dane O'Hara, James Leuluai, Clayton Friend, Owen Wright, Shane Cooper. Coach Graham Lowe.

Invitational side
Noel Wyatt, Brian McClennan, Graham Norton, Piri Enua, Grey Hiley, Peter Ropati, Ricky Williams, Ray Hannay, Greg Molloy, Reece Guy, Steve Kemble, Hereme Sio, Steve Craike, Bryce Townsend, Wayne Trainor, Arthur Clark, Ken Anderson, Colin McLennan, Kristian Faavae, Peter Simmonds. Coach Geoff Grainger.