Whanganui's Alesana Tofa scored in Whanganui's loss to Hawke's Bay Saracens. Photo / Kiwi TV
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Steelform Whanganui got a lot out of their plentiful assets and just finished shy on their deficits after a 40-33 loss to regular pre-season rivals the Hawke’s Bay Saracens at Taihape’s Memorial Park on Saturday.
In a back-and-forth encounter against their young and fit opposition, who favoured powerful ball-carrying and moving swiftly to the fringes, Whanganui were able to pressure the Saracens set piece - especially at scrum time through their stacked prop group - and initially in the lineouts as the visitors made their share of overthrows.
The lead changed hands seven times, but the Saracens had the athletic giants to break tackles and attack from their own half - scoring right on halftime to lead 26-21 and then crucially in the 69th minute on a deep breakout for a key 40-28 advantage.
Whanganui got back, and despite a couple of mistakes, earned territory through their scrum and the boot of skipper Dane Whale to close the gap to seven points, but ran out of time on the clock to force an equaliser.
As a trial game demands, coach Jason Hamlin was still rotating players including three temporary fill-ins, while also giving some of his younger players more game time, whereas the Saracens were able to bring on talent like try-scoring New Zealand Under-20s flanker Cooper Flanders, who had a big bearing on proceedings throughout the second half.
Unsurprisingly, Whanganui’s standouts were found up front - a returning Hadlee Hay-Horton being used in the midfield battering ram role, when he started alongside Raymond Salu and try-scoring hooker Roman Tutauha.
Emmanuel Wineera was packing down when Whanganui twisted the Saracens scrum in front of their posts, which led to the Taihape firm of lock P.T. Hay-Horton and winger Tiari Mumby combining for a penalty quick-tap try, while Konradd Newland scored his second try in two weeks.
The younger brother of Black Fern Sosoli and New Zealand Heartland XV prop Viki, reserve hooker Alesana Tofa is still getting the kinks out of his lineout throwing, but his workrate and hustle is excellent- snatching a lineout bat-down to dash off for Whanganui’s last try in the 74th minute to give themselves a chance of snatching a draw.
It was great to see the youngsters in flanker Neo Tichbon and No 8 Josefa Namosimalua get a full hitout, and although they made a couple of errors in the muddy conditions, they were up for everything on attack and defence.
Whanganui were undermanned in the midfield with Apolosi Tanoa a late scratching, and then in a big blow, fullback Sheldon Pakinga had to come off before halftime with a leg injury, after having a brilliant opening 30 minutes - setting up a great try to clubmate Peceli Malanicagi with a dash and chip kick, stopping Saracens second five Gibson Popoalii scoring with a fine cover tackle, and slotting two conversions.
Halfback Winslin Klassen showed a surprising new string to his bow by popping over the conversion for Newland’s try while Pakinga was getting treatment.
Alongside non-squad member locks Brad O’Leary and Ngapuke Patea, Taihape veteran Luke Whale came down to help out his younger brother Dane’s team and shifted into second five for the second half, really impressing Hamlin.
It is likely for the last pre-season game against Wellington Development that Whanganui will have another revamped midfield with returning incumbents, while the news is even better regarding injured flanker Jamie Hughes, whose knee might only keep him out for another week or so.
So despite Saturday’s narrow loss, the coach was pleased with those filling the breach.
“We’re asking for attitude and effort, and that’s what we got, so I’m really happy on that space,” said Hamlin.
“Things like the execution and decision-making, we have to be better than that, so we have to work on [those] at trainings.
“But they’re doing all the things that we ask them to do and they’re making our job harder, to make that final [squad] selection.
“The first half, the style we were trying to incorporate, we got to where we wanted to but we were just a little impatient on it, with the offloads as opposed to taking the ball to ground.
“That one-on-one tackling stuff, and when [the Saracens] got over the gain line their ruck speed was really good, gave them more time on ball and that just gave them space.
“Josefa had his first game in over a month - he had a few rough edges on his game, a few mistakes, but jeez, didn’t he look good attacking that ball?
“I thought young Neo Tichbon played really well, he probably will look at a few mistakes he made, but I thought he just looked like a rep player out there - he made tackles, got over the ball, contesting stuff, he’ll only get better being part of the group.”
Hamlin was happy with his senior locks in Hay-Horton and a returning Josh Lane, which means when Matt Ashworth comes back, the depth returns to this area.
“Luke Whale just turned up, stepped into the mark for us and he defended well. I said to him in front of the boys, ‘turn up on Tuesday, mate, because you gave yourself another opportunity’,” said Hamlin.
“We would have liked to have seen another try or two and stopped a couple of theirs, but bigger stuff of being where we want to get to and exposing more players to his level of rugby, it’s looking good.
“There’s a distinct difference when some of our old stagers are there and we’re looking assured, and when the other boys come on, so it’s about growing them into that space.
“Aslena Tofa looks like a little pocket rocket doesn’t he? I was really happy with his performance - he’ll get better at the nuts and bolts of being a hooker, but around the field he puts shoulders on people and he attacks it when he runs - no doubt as to what he’s doing.”
Hawke’s Bay Saracens 40 (X McCorkingdale, M Tufuga, S Vodosese, I Mapu, A Momoisea, C Flanders tries; H Stephenson 5 con) bt Whanganui 33 (R Tutauha, P Malanicagi, K Newland, T Mumby, A Tofa tries; S Pakinga 2 con, W Klassen con, D Whale con). HT: 26-21.