Hunterville are set to host shield holders Utiku.
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They may be young but they are the future of Kelso Hunterville and the future could still be right now as they prepare for their biggest game of the senior competition at home on Saturday.
Back in the Top 4 with a big traffic jam behind them from fifth to seventh place, Hunterville (5-4) host the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield holders Utiku Old Boys (9-0), knowing a shield win would go a long way to locking in a home quarterfinal while a loss could mean a bit of a tumble back down the table.
“It’s a roller-coaster, eh? All club rugby’s a little bit like that now,” coach Greg Parkes said.
“It’s always a big challenge – Utiku and Hunterville – they have the edge on the competition at the moment, got some big forwards and I hear they’ve got some good backs.”
Crucially, Hunterville are home in their last two games although, to be fair, neither opponent has an arduous journey to reach them – Utiku being followed on the 30-minute drive by Bennett’s Taihape (5-4), who were fourth place themselves until last weekend.
“That certainly helps; home’s always good. Hopefully home advantage will help us,” Parkes said.
After winning an extraordinary nine championships from 2009-2021, Hunterville are now in a rebuilding phase with a host of teenagers and other young men, assisted occasionally by the odd veteran from the golden era.
Parkes and assistant Ray McDougall started with a group of about 34 before injury and work commitments have them now settled on 25 regular players.
“It’s got a lot of local boys in the transition of university to permanent jobs - that makes it challenging,” Parkes said.
“There’s a natural attrition for the old going out, it’s affected Hunterville for a while now.”
Keeping the ship steady are the likes of captain Matthew Horton and goal-kicker Leigham Harding in the backline, while key up front is prop Jamie Brett who scored the match-winning try in the 2021 senior final.
Parkes is also looking to build the team around youngsters like No8 Tom Nichol and prop Sidney Diamond – a 2023 Whanganui Under 20s squad member – as his team looks to have a big final two weeks before the quarterfinals.
“We’re pretty excited about Tom and Sidney and how they’re playing.
“Anything can happen. We’ll just ride the movement and hope it brings our way.”
Senior draw
June 15, 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change):
Ruapehu vs Border, Rochfort Park; Rātana vs Celtic, Rātana Pā; Counties vs Marton, Macnab Domain (2pm); Hunterville vs Utiku, Hunterville Domain; Taihape vs Pirates, Memorial Park; Knights vs Kaierau, Spriggens Park.
There is one last piece of the puzzle to put together for the WRFU women’s competition semifinals in a Cooks Gardens doubleheader for the final round robin on Friday.
Based on last week’s results, Silks Audit Rātana (4-3) still have an outside chance to snatch second place to flip the home-ground advantage for the semifinals when they face Byfords Construction Taihape (5-2) in the first of what will be consecutive games between the sides.
Taihape clung on for a tough 12-5 win over Rātana in their previous meeting on May 10 at Memorial Park but the new Wahine team from the Pā have been strong in the second round of games, including last Friday’s 36-10 win over Speedy Signs Kaierau (2-6) in the Kaiwakas’ last game before the semifinals.
The game at the Country Club was stopped with nine minutes remaining as a precaution for an injured player who required medical attention.
Rātana being able to draw closer to Taihape came about when, despite added time to prepare for the undefeated AGC Marist Clovers (7-0), the home side was not able to stop the juggernaut at Memorial Park, with Marist winning 44-17.
The defending champions will look to keep their streak going when they host the Marton Queenbeez (0-7), who will be playing their final game of the expanded five-team season, before Marist line up against Kaierau in the semifinals.
Marist vs Marton kicks off at 5.30pm, followed by Rātana vs Taihape at 7.30pm.