“I think we’ve got about 15 players this year under the age of 22, so just with that, the future of the club is looking pretty strong.
“There’s a lot of young talent under the age of 18 as well, so hopefully these young guys, they play for us for a couple of seasons and get a taste of Senior rugby, then we can move them along and get them to some higher honours, starting with the Prems.
“We’ve created a bit of a brotherhood in the team, where it doesn’t matter, win or lose, we’re still one big tight unit.”
At flanker, Herewini is one of the leading try-scorers, while the top points-scorer has been 2024 Whanganui Under-18s representative Mason Henry at first five-eighths.
“Young Mason’s stepped up, first season out of college and he’s sort of slid into the playmaker role for us this season and also then given the kicking duties,” Herewini said.
“He’s performed really well and for a young guy holds his head really high.”
As well as the young guns, the team is still well served by a handful of veterans, including the evergreen Johnny Prince at lock.
“He keeps turning up eh, and full respect to him. At his age, he loves the game, really loves the club,” said Herewini.
“He turns up Tuesday-Thursday like he hasn’t played 80 minutes, always fresh and always there for the club.”
Draw
June 7, 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change):
Utiku Old Boys v Border, Memorial Park; Hunterville v Kaierau, Hunterville Domain; Marist Knights v Pirates, Spriggens Park; Marist Celtic v Taihape, City College; Ruapehu v Counties, Rochfort Park.
Women’s competition
One side went a long way to confirming a home Tasman Tanning Women’s semifinal, while another kept their hopes alive of playing a semifinal in their first season.
Although there were no close results in the latest all-night game round of the competition last Friday, they were still significant as Byfords Construction Taihape’s 42-0 win over Silks Audit Rātana gave them decisive breathing space on the points table in their private second-versus-third battle.
Taihape scored eight tries with one conversion added to go 11 points clear in the standings, ending Rātana’s incredibly tough run of playing them and the undefeated AGC Training Marist Clovers in four consecutive games.
Rātana will now play the three lower-table teams, while there is still one super-clash remaining between Marist and Taihape, but the wāhine from the Pā will need Taihape to stumble more than once if they are to snatch second place.
Marist confirmed a home semifinal with games to spare after the Marton Queenbeez defaulted to them for the second time.
The title favourites are likely to get a stern test this Friday when they travel to Hunterville Domain to meet a home side that sparked their campaign back to life with a 51-15 away win over the fourth-placed Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls.
The Bulls were going for the four-game sweep against the fifth- and sixth-placed teams, having beaten Hunterville 29-22 away two weeks beforehand.
Hunterville fullback Charlize Cook had a 21-point haul from a hat-trick of tries and three conversions.
Prop Ocean Kereopa dotted down, while five tries were credited among the Hendersons – lock and captain Brooke along with halfback Chloe.
Hunterville moving up to within three points of Bulls in fourth place puts the heat on the Manawatū union club, who will host Taihape on Friday evening.
Rātana will have their always anticipated derby with the Queenbeez at Marton Park on Saturday afternoon.
Draw
June 6: Hunterville v Marist, 6.30pm; Bulls v Taihape, Bulls Domain, 7pm; June 7: Marton v Rātana, Marton Park, 1pm.
