United Matamata Sports and Pirongia Colts prepare to go to battle at scrum time. Photo / Julie Gibson
A big weekend wrapped up as the Hamilton Marist Colts continued their dominant 2023, Putāruru upset the Tokoroa faithful and secured a Mooloo Shield final, while University pulled off the great escape and won big in Matamata to avoid the promotion/relegation fixture.
Hautapu travelled to Hamilton to take on the home side, Hamilton Marist, in the Waikato Draught Breweries Premiership, knowing a win would stamp a mark on their dominant second round, while Hamilton Marist were chasing a victory to avoid the semifinal rematch next weekend.
In what was a tight match throughout, neither side was able to assert their dominance in what was a good old-fashioned, grind-it-out type of game on a boggy Marist Park.
Hamilton Marist opened the scoring midway through the first half via midfielder Leroy van Dam, only for Hautapu to strike back soon after through hooker Pita Anae-Ah Sue. Both tries were converted and the sides were locked up at 7-7 at halftime.
Much the same continued in the second 40 with a real arm wrestle between two of Waikato’s form Premier sides in 2023. While it was forward power scoring for Hamilton Marist through front rowers Mason Tupaea and Ciaran Bartlett, it was the razzle-dazzle of Hautapu winger Quentin Hill touching down twice that keep his side in the hunt. Two penalties to the competition’s leading points-scorer Wharenui Hawera rounded off a quality kicking display from the former Brumbies first five-eighths, securing a 25-21 home win for his side and lining up a semifinal showdown with second-placed Te Awamutu Sports next weekend.
Across town, Hamilton Old Boys were hosting the dispirited Ōtorohanga side.
Both teams needed the win to lock up fourth place on the ladder, the victor earning a spot to travel to Cambridge next weekend. Both sides were evenly matched across the field, scoring three tries apiece, with some quality goal-kicking making for a true Premiership back-and-forth tussle.
It was the home side that came away with their tightest win of the second round while consigning Ōtorohanga to their fourth consecutive defeat - three of which have been decided by fewer than five points.
Hamilton Old Boys’ returning prop Solomone Tukuafe was among the scoring trio for the home side, with Adam Thompson and Jaylin Tuapola also touching down. Fullback Jayden Green kicked his side to victory, the sharp-shooting left boot converting two and adding a penalty kick that ultimately proved the difference in the 22-21 victory.
The Lone Star Championship was all out of town with both Morrinsville Sports and United Matamata Sports hosting city sides Fraser Tech and University.
University travelled over to Matamata knowing nothing short of a victory would see them line up in the promotion/relegation battle in a fortnight’s time. The University boys came out firing thanks to a large contribution from right wing Calum Koebergh, touching down for three of his side’s four tries, while first five-eighth Patrick Hedley was strong off the boot, converting three and adding a further two penalties. United Matamata Sports couldn’t quite match the travelling students, only scoring three tries of their own.
On the bright side for Matamata, they will be hosting playoffs rugby at Bedford Park in 2023 and await Morrinsville Sports next weekend.
In the other match, Fraser Tech headed to Campbell Park and faced a strong challenge from the home side. Outscoring the home side four tries to two was enough to get Fraser Tech home 24-12 and finish the season four from four in the second round.
Next weekend Fraser Tech welcome University to Mill Street, where the students will be keen to put back-to-back victories on the board and book themselves a spot in the Lone Star Championship decider.
Having the bye weekend, Melville were at the mercy of United Matamata Sports, with University needing Matmata to win to avoid the promotion/relegation fixture. Unfortunately for them, University were too good and Melville will face the winner of the Mooloo Shield on Saturday June 22. In the meantime, they won’t play a further part in the championship and will need to find a way to dig deep and keep the team ready for that one-off fixture.
The Mooloo Shield was yet again the place to be for big upsets. This time it was Putāruru at the expense of Southern United at Memorial Park in Tokoroa, getting up 27-26. While it may just read like any other weekend where one side wins while another side loses, it was not the case. This game was massive for both sides in their finals aspirations, both chasing Leamington, who had booked in one of the two finals spots, with the winner all but confirming the other spot.
On this occasion it was the travelling Putāruru, who had previously come up short in Tokoroa earlier in the season, who walked away with the chocolates and with it booked themselves a rematch with Leamington in a fortnight, to do battle for the Mooloo Shield.
Both Putāruru and Leamington play each other this coming weekend in a 1 v 2 battle, the winner earning hosting rights for said final the following weekend.
The other match-up was Ōhaupō hosting near rivals Pirongia in what was Ōhaupō’s last match of the year - both sides chasing their first win of the second round after promising first rounds. To the delight of the home faithful, it was the home team who showed that promising first-round form, running out 15-0 victors in a quality local derby.
The Division One Championship carried on its merry way with second-round undefeated sides Hinuera and Suburbs going head-to-head. It was the travelling Suburbs team who came out on top, running in six tries to the home side’s three in a 36-19 win and, like Leamington and Putāruru, have secured themselves a home final with a game to spare. Doubles to Ethan Foley, Kees Anderson and Andrew Carney rounded out the try-scoring for Suburbs, while the boot of Carney was dialled in on three of the six occasions.
Winless Frankton hosted Taupiri at Swarbrick Park for what was their last match of the season. Like in the other Championship game, it was the travelling Taupiri who had the wood over the home side, picking up a much-needed 22-10 win. Tries to Mitch Rhind, Brayden Walker-Logan and Au Tyrell were plenty for the Taupiri men, who needed the result to stay in the hunt for finals rugby.
Taupiri play Suburbs in a 1 v 2 match next weekend, while the chasing Hinuera and Te Rapa go head to head at St Andrew’s Park - all three of those sides (Taupiri, Te Rapa and Hinuera) are still alive in their finals aspirations. For some teams, they will need results to go their way, but there remains plenty to play for in what has been a quality competition.
Hamilton Marist Under-8kgs wrapped up a special weekend at Marist Park. Playing in their MATES Matters jerseys, the hosts ran away with a 37-12 win over Melville in front of a strong crowd to round out their regular season in the Under 85kg Competition.
The other matches saw Fraser Tech pick up a comprehensive 65-3 win at home over Kio Kio United to push them into third place on the ladder, setting themselves up with a semifinal showdown against Hamilton Marist next weekend.
The other match saw a strong Morrinsville win 26-0 at home over Leamington, Morrinsville booking a home semifinal against Melville next weekend at Campbell Park.
In the Colts Competition, it was the dominant Hamilton Marist who got up against club rivals Hamilton Old Boys in a 1 v 2 battle of the undefeated teams in 2023, winning 27-5 at Willoughby Park. They are now 13 from 13 and sit alone on top of the table, ahead of the Hautapu, Hamilton Old Boys and Morrinsville Sports Colts teams. Fellow top-four team Morrinsville Sports made the short trip to Paeroa, picking up a hard-fought win 31-0 win over the home side in a quality defensive display of rugby.
In other matches, Leamington hosted Waitete and cashed in on some poor defence, winning 53-10 and dotting down for nine tries, while Pirongia and Matamata played out a 26-11 battle with the home side Pirongia getting the win and keeping them in seventh spot on the ladder. The final match was a strong Hinuera side coming into town and beating Hamilton Boys’ High 36-17 to sit alongside Pirongia on the ladder - the team they face in two weeks’ time.
Severe weather hits as school holidays begin, with evacuations in Marlborough.