Ōtorohanga’s Ryan McNeil crosses the line for one of his team's three tries against Te Awamutu Sports. Photo / Waikato Rugby
Ōtorohanga’s Ryan McNeil crosses the line for one of his team's three tries against Te Awamutu Sports. Photo / Waikato Rugby
What a weekend of Saturday club rugby, both on and off the field. Some quality footy was played throughout the region, with some high-scoring matches, a couple of upsets and torrential rain at times throughout the afternoon.
The Gallagher Women’s Premiership playoff scenario is confirmed, as four of the five Premier teams secured top-five playoff spots, with Te Awamutu and University going head-to-head this coming weekend for that fifth spot, and some more tight matches in Division 1.
Willoughby Park played host to the two versus three battle on Saturday afternoon when Hamilton Old Boys hosted Hautapu in what were some average conditions for free-flowing footy. While the two sides had secured top-five honours for the second round, there was plenty to play for. Hamilton Old Boys touched down twice with a penalty try awarded by referee Ben Woolerton. Hautapu ultimately were too good and showed their quality form heading into this match by scoring five of their own tries, with Quintony Ngatai converting three from five.
Fellow top-five sides Ōtorohanga and Te Awamutu Sports went head-to-head down at Island Reserve with the home side winning 27-13. A double to Sivamiolo Lumelume and a solo try to Ryan McNeil came with a clinic off the boot by first five Dominic Clapcott, who converted all three tries and added a further two penalties.
Meanwhile, back in Hamilton, top-of-the-table Hamilton Marist put on a try-scoring fest in the rain and ran in eight tries, comfortably winning 50-0. A double to Newton Tudreu further added to his season tally, while Wharenui Hawera converted five from eight off the tee.
In contrast to the top-of-the-table action, ninth-placed Melville hosted eighth-placed Fraser Tech at Collins Road. Fraser Tech needed a good victory and some results to go their way for them to remain in top-five contention. The Fraser Tech men did all they could in challenging conditions at Collins Road, winning 19-8. Liam Coombes-Fabling and Moana Pasifika midfielder D’Angelo Leuila controlled the game well and each scored five-pointers of their own. Melville were consigned to their seventh consecutive defeat. The final Premier game of the weekend saw University host United Matamata Sports. Both sides, like Fraser Tech, need a victory to keep their top-five aspirations alive for another week.
University made the most of their opportunities with tries to Louis Rogers, Jack Harding, Te Rama Reuben and Xavier Saifoloi, winning 31-15 against a United Matamata side that has shown glimpses all of the first round that they can match it with the ‘big’ sides in premier club rugby. University’s victory sets up a blockbuster in week nine with the students heading to Te Awamutu Sports in a fifth versus sixth match, with both sides currently sitting on 21 competition points. The winner will go into the top five and the loser will battle it out in the Championship with fellow bottom-five sides Morrinsville Sports, Melville, United Matamata Sports and Fraser Tech.
The Gallagher Women’s Premiership wrapped up its regular season with expected victories to the current top-four sides: Hamilton Old Boys Huskies, University, Melville and Kihikihi respectively.
A big 86-0 victory for Melville over Putāruru wasn’t enough for them to jump the University ladies on the competition ladder, with University maintaining their superior points differential over the Melville side. University travelled down to Tokoroa and played Southern United, and their 36-5 win was enough to ensure they qualified second and will host Melville this coming weekend in two versus three semifinals.
Another strong, convincing 60-0 win for the Huskies against Ōtorohanga has them undefeated since 2020 and qualifies them for the top of the table, running in 10 tries, with doubles to Princess Elliot and Phoenix-Tiaria Todd. They will host Kihikihi in the other semi-final. Kihikihi locked in fourth place with their 30-5 win over Hamilton Marist. The home side was far too strong in front of their loyal supporters, running in six unconverted tries to finish the season with a four-and-three record and only recording losses to the three sides above them on the ladder.
Hautapu’s David Morris dots down out wide at Willoughby Park to secure his side an away win. Photo / Waikato Rugby
The Division 1 competition continues to provide a number of tight matches and yet again another upset that shakes up the competition heading into the final two weeks of the first round.
Table-topper Leamington hosted Suburbs at home and put on a quality defensive effort, keeping the travelling side scoreless. Tries to Liam Rickwood, Jarrod Davey, Robert Day and James Fraser with two conversions to Robert Day rounded out a convincing 24-0 home win. The nature of the ladder all but ensures Leamington will top the table at the end of the first round. In what was arguably the upset of the weekend, Frankton travelled to Hinuera looking for their first win in a month, while the home side were on a three-game winning streak. The visitors started strong and defended throughout the 80 minutes to ensure the home side could only run in two tries as Frankton recorded their second victory, winning 16-12.
The team capturing the most attention in this competition are the Putāruru men. Finishing 2022 with four consecutive defeats and winning two of 13 matches, they have stormed into 2023 and currently sit second behind Leamington. That impressive position includes two draws, four victories and their sole defeat to neighbours Southern United. Putāruru travelled to Pirongia and, in what was very challenging and wet conditions with the field covered in surface water, battled away for a 15-14 away victory.
In other matches, Southern United hosted Te Rapa in Tokoroa and won 17-7, with a double to Jemaine Waea-Allan and Jayviar Waea-Allan enough to get the home win and keep them well inside the top five, alongside Putāruru and Ōhaupo on 23 competition points. The last match of the weekend saw Ōhaupo get their season back on track after back-to-back losses. The home side ran in six sides with four conversions to put away the travelling Taupiri men 38-5.
The Under-85 kilos competition crossed the halfway point with a comfortable win to Morrinsville Sports, 57-8, over Leamington in Cambridge. A hat-trick to lock Barry Rhodes and doubles to Brodie Taylor and Detroit Sluys-Tamanui was the highlight for Morrinsville. Fraser Tech comfortably won 31-0 against Kio Kio United and Hamilton Marist triumphed in terrible conditions at Collins Road, 16-0.
Like the Under-85kg competition, the Colts competition has now reached the midway point of its 14-week competition.
Hamilton Marist, Hautapu and Hamilton Old Boys remain undefeated and along with Morrinsville Sports sit comfortably inside the top four. Mid-table is a logjam with fifth-placed Thames Valley United and 12th-placed Hinuera separated by just two wins, and with a further seven matches, there is plenty of time for movement on the ladder.
Matamata kicked off the weekend on Friday night winning 32-0 over Waitete for their third win of the year. Other results saw Hautapu beat Pirongia 38-12, Hamilton Marist put Hinuera away by an emphatic 31-0 scoreline, while Hamilton Old Boys beat Leamington 38-14 and Morrinsville Sports triumphed 47-13 over Te Awamutu Sports - all away wins for the top four.
