Winning debut for new Southern Man

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

The migration south of the celebrated Williams family from Auckland's Ponsonby club was given another dimension when North Otago marked their first match in the NPC second division with a 25-22 win over Counties Manukau in Pukekohe.

A key figure in the victory was first five-eighths Brett Williams, the nephew of All Black legend Bryan and son of stalwart Ponsonby prop of the 1970s, Ces. In his own NPC debut, Brett Williams kicked 20 of North Otago's points.

A 25-year-old bank officer in Auckland and member of the Ponsonby senior team as a fullback or first five-eighth for the past four years, Williams moved south at the suggestion of a workmate who was the brother of North Otago's trainer, Greg McLeod.

"I just wanted the chance to play in the NPC," Williams said.

Earlier this year his cousins and Ponsonby clubmates, Bryan's sons Gavin and Paul, gave him the cue to move south by shifting respectively to Southland and the Highlanders.

Had he not moved south, it's possible he could have even been with Counties. Their assistant coach is Mike Turner, another Ponsonby man, and when he was looking for a fullback at Counties he almost took up Ces' suggestion to look at Brett.

After the way Williams excelled for North Otago on Saturday, Turner may well be wishing he was quicker off the mark in the recruitment race.

As well as his boot (six penalties and a conversion from eight attempts) Williams played a major role in North Otago's try. With a clever run in the opening couple of minutes he helped put North Otago's thrustful second five-eighth Steve Kotua across and from that early setback Counties never recovered.

They were rattled into far too many errors by North Otago's aggression and stout defence. They gained second-spell tries from their Fijian wings, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Salosi Tagicakibau, and at one stage had the leeway pegged back to 19-17, but never quite had the control.

A disappointed coach Bruce Robertson agreed it would be another tough year for Counties trying to get back into first division.

It was obviously much too early for Counties to panic. But errors needed to be eliminated, and above all the side needed stronger starts.

"We've got the talent and the spirit to still do well," Robertson said.

* Thames Valley made the best possible start to their campaign with a 35-7 win over Mid Canterbury at Thames.

Led by large locks Tyrone Maullin and Andy Springgay, the Thames Valley forwards never allowed Mid Canterbury a chance to settle down.

Thames Valley led 25-0 at halftime after scoring three of their four tries, to flanker David Dillon, winger Pacilla Wilson and centre Justin Leach. Hooker Barton Thompson got the fourth, and bonus point try.

* A strong forward effort and solid defence steered Nelson Bays to an important 14-10 win over Manawatu at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

Both teams were restricted to one try each, Manawatu scoring in the fourth minute of injury time through Lifeimi Mafi to help secure a bonus point, although Nelson Bays had the win sewn up by then.

* In Napier, defending champions Hawkes Bay struggled before seeing off East Coast 27-20.

After trailing 15-12 at halftime, Hawkes Bay emerged with a victory over a side they beat 85-12 last season.