Stratford Eltham Thunder rugby: Division two team makes it to playoffs

Man of the match Zarhn Collins scoring a try. Photo / Jon Palmer

On the back of last week’s mid-tables game loss, Stratford Eltham Thunder visited Clifton in a make-or-break game for a position in the playoffs.

Clifton, always a hard formidable team, piled on the pressure from the kick-off. They scored the opening try in the first 11 minutes of the game.

The pressure was soaked up by Thunders’ defence, holding the home team at bay until the Thunders’ offensive breached the try line in reply putting over the conversion for seven points.

As with the previous few games it was tit-for-tat scoring, entering the break Clifton 12-14 Thunder.

The second half carried on much the same as the first, a real hard-fought up-front battle with huge physicality taking its toll on both teams, the score being Clifton 24-26 Thunder with eight minutes to play.

Thunder scored five points at that stage, forcing Clifton to play against the clock as well as the team. Thunder took the game holding off Clifton’s relentless pressure until the end.

The win enabled Thunder to leapfrog Clifton to be back in the fourth finals position. Next week Thunder plays Tukapa at home and Clifton plays Coastal.

All of these games will have a vital impact on the Thunders’ title playoff hopes.

Players of the day: Three points Zarhn Collins (three tries), Two points Penz Takimoana, one point Tom Roodbeen.

Other scores: Thunders Premiers 38-6 Clifton, Thunders Div 2 7- 72 Pātea, Thunders Colts 21-18 Clifton.