Prop Jonty Bird scores a try on a sunny Macnab Domain. Photo / Jared Smith
Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby
By Jared Smith
It was a historic Anzac Day for the new generation McCrea Scanning Counties squad as they secured their first win after coming up to Division One, defeating fellow promoted McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu 45-15 at Macnab Domain.
In front of a bumper crowd for Club Sponsors Day on the long weekend, both sides were determined to secure what could be a crucial maiden win in the lower points table race to avoid relegation after the Trevor Olney Cup round.
But the key difference is the fresh Counties squad have several incumbent and former Steelform Whanganui players in key positions - bringing all their strength, timing and guile to the fore.
With over 100 representative games, halfback Lindsay Horrocks had the ball on a string in the first half to put his forward pack in the right channels to cause havoc, led up front by prop Jonty Bird (nine rep games) and speedy hooker Jack Yarrall (23) who scored a hat-trick and a double respectively.
Midfielders Opetini Dryden and Tim Goodwin impressed working off the momentum, Goodwin overcoming a wayward start with his goal-kicking to slot five conversions.
Down 24-0 approaching halftime, a Ruapehu squad who are blooding a lot of fresh-faced teenagers, clawed their way back with two tries on either side of the break for 24-10, before the home side reasserted themselves as the game was reduced to 13 v 14 at one stage after yellow cards for a range of offences.
Ruapehu are missing former Whanganui prop Gabriel Hakaraia (55 games), injured in their last preseason game, who could have potentially kept Bird and Yarrall honest, while their sole-remaining former rep player Kahl Elers-Green (seven) moved back from the midfield into halfback to try and counteract Horrocks.
Prop Ezekiel Anderson put in a long work shift, winger Rangihaereroa McLeod scored a good try on top of a series of strong runs, while reserve back Tei Ponga Te Huia unveiled a strong kicking game to give his side some territory late in the final quarter.
For another former Whanganui player in Bryn Hudson, it was a satisfying afternoon to secure his first victory as Counties coach.
“Proud of the boys, played some decent footy out there in patches, dropped off a wee bit there for a few stages of the game but full credit to a good Rua team – they stayed in the fight for the full 80.”
While the side has several players with both top-grade experience and trophy-winning pedigree with other clubs, Hudson gave a tip of the hat to the wider group of Counties originals, from skipper James Marshall on down, who have stepped up to playing at this level for the first time.
“They’re going good, we’ve got good buy in from the group, and they understand the systems we’re trying to play and they’re fitting in well.
“It’s a good club, always get great support, and the big yellow was out, so a good day to play footy.”
It has also been a big ask for Ruapehu to come back to this grade for the first time since 2023, but regardless of which team finishes in seventh place at the end of the first round, assistant coach Sheldon O’Hagan said they can only improve for ongoing campaigns.
“We’ve got a lot of young 18 and 19-year-olds in their first season of Premier rugby so it’s all learning, definitely.
“You could see the experience on their side compared to our young fellas, but it was positive in that second half – kept fighting and didn’t go away.”
Wrap:
Marist have ended defending champion Taihape’s near mystic run of winning games coming from behind and made a big statement in the Division One Trevor Olney Taonga third round with a rugged 24-14 victory on Anzac Day at Spriggens Park.
Two games were replays of the 2025 Premier semifinals and both saw those results reversed as Border stands as the only unbeaten side after a big 43-18 win over Kaierau at Dallison Park to retain the Challenge Shield.
Travelling to Whanganui for the second week in a row, Taihape opened the scoring but had fallen behind 24-7 entering the final quarter, and although they got their second try, Marist’s growing resilience saw them hold back the defending champions from breaching their line again.
Up in South Taranaki, Dallison Park has regained its reputation as a fortress for Border as once again their impressive Fijian backs could no longer be contained in the second stanza.
The lead swapped hands four times in the first half, with Kaierau finishing with their noses ahead 18-17.
But the dam finally burst in the 53rd minute with Border regaining the lead and they never looked back with 26 unanswered points in the second stanza.
It made for a good overall day for the Waverley-based club, as in the earlier Division Two Peter Rowe Cup match, Border’s ‘Peaky Blinders’ defeated the Kaierau ‘Wolf Pack’ in an absolute thriller 34-33.
In the Spriggens Park derby, undefeated Pirates continued their rise by becoming the second new owner of the Challenge Shield in as many weeks, beating neighbours Celtic 37-19.
However, fellow undefeated team Utiku Old Boys hold top spot on differential after travelling to Macnab Domain for a comfortable 48-10 win over Counties.
Marton picked up a default home win over Taihape, the team’s still pooling resources for a friendly fixture which the hosts won 42-12.
There was a big result on Friday night in the Tasman Tanning Te Awa Wāhine competition, as Taihape picked up their first win in the new grade, defeating Freyberg 24-5.
Down at Central Energy Trust Arena, Manawatū’s Kia Toa defeated Rangitīkei 87-0, while on Saturday at Cullinane College the travelling OBM beat Marist Clovers 49-34.