Rugby: Papatoetoe enjoy six-try win over Waitemata

Photo / Robert Trathen

AUCKLAND

Papatoetoe captain Ben Masoe led his team to a comfortable 37-20 win over Waitemata in an entertaining game in Henderson yesterday.

No 8 Masoe scored the final two of Papatoetoe's six tries and was at the heart of a solid defensive effort.

The win leaves Papatoetoe in second place behind leaders University, who beat East Tamaki 53-12 with Blues flanker Daniel Braid scoring twice.

Papatoetoe fullback Patrick Masoe crashed over in the corner to open the scoring at Waitemata before winger Desma Liaina scored after a 40-metre burst from impressive flanker Loma Kavainga. Waitemata hit back with a try to winger Karl Siemsen, who slotted the conversion from the touchline, and then took the lead after captain Rory Lord scored.

But the home team's hopes were dashed when Auckland's leading try scorer Tenina Sauileoge was too quick for the defence to give Papatoetoe the halftime lead by 20-14. Halfback Jason Guthrie ran 60 metres to score a knockout blow early in the second spell.

A hat-trick to winger John Taufa sparked an upset win for Teachers Eastern by 32-31 over Marist, Grammar Carlton had a fine 41-22 away win over Pakuranga, while Ponsonby are still in the hunt after beating Manukau Rovers 62-0. Waitakere City beat Otahuhu 11-6, Suburbs had their best win of the season by 26-7 over College Rifles, while Te Papapa-Mt Wellington and Eden drew 19-19.

- Peter White

NORTH HARBOUR

North Shore maintained a handy lead in the North Harbour premier rugby competition with a 34-23 win over East Coast Bays, but also got a reminder that an eventual championship success is far from a foregone conclusion.

Western Pioneers, just four points behind Shore on the table, showed that they could be their biggest threat with a comprehensive 39-14 win over last year's champions Northcote, who are now a distant sixth.

The outcome of the championship could now depend on how many players are removed by upcoming representative commitments and Shore, who meet Western in a key match next weekend, are likely to be the worst affected.

Western were far too good for Northcote in the backs and, despite playing on a wet Stafford Park pitch, they ran in six tries. Two each went to the wings Aupiu Pritchard and Paotona Luteru.

Northcote's solid pack looked to have got in to the game with a William Whetton pushover try just on halftime and a penalty just after the break to bring the score to 19-14. But three long range tries over the final quarter saw Western cruise to a comfortable win.

Silverdale also stayed handy to the lead by beating injury-depleted Takapuna 41-20 in a hard, rugged match which was marred with 10 minutes left when Silverdale lost a forward to a red card.

Massey stayed in third equal spot with Silverdale with a predictably easy 66-19 thrashing of bottom side Mahurangi, while Marist, with representative loose forward Scott Uren returning to help reinforce the pack by scoring two tries, displaced Glenfield in eighth position with a 32-21 win.

- Lindsay Knight