Development raise a century

Impressive outing: Hooker Jack Yarrell continues to make strides for both the Wanganui Development team and in the Heartland wider squad.

It was a merciless massacre for the start of the Wanganui Toyota Development XV's defence of the RDO Shield as an embarrassingly inept Horowhenua-Kapiti Development were blown off Spriggens Park, 108-5 in Saturday's curtain raiser.

Facing out-of-shape opposition with outside backs who seemed to think the game was touch rugby, Wanganui's pace men in winger Josaia Bogileka and fullback Simeli Konifredi, who grabbed hat tricks, along with centre Kaveni Dabonaise, just ran either through or away from their tacklers in the first half - going at a point-a-minute for the duration.

Hooker Jack Yarrall, who Heartland coach Jason Caskey has big plans for and again played in both games at the park, was rampant as his charges up centre field laid on several scores.

Despite coach Ross Williams subbing off most of his multiple tryscorers and line breakers at halftime, replacement winger Tupu Tavae just took up where they left off - right from the whistle as Wanganui blitzed three more tries in seven minutes to surpass even the two they scored in the opening exchanges of the game.

It was like watching second-hand Minis trying to keep up with Ferraris on the fringes.

After setting up a lot of play, the other winger Jaye Flaws finally got his name on the tryscorers sheet, but humorously it was through joining in on the back of a rolling maul from the 10m lineout to take the ball over the line.

No8 Kieran Hussey backed up well to score a hat trick of tries, while lock Jack Hodges was unlucky to get just one as he made the tryline several times, with one cruel bounce on a kick denying him, yet giving Tavae his fourth for the day.

If the game had been played under the six point try format like the feature match, the scoreline would have been too monstrous for Horowhenua-Kapiti to contemplate.

Even Williams had been dismissive of the prospect of a century by the three-quarter mark, but from 82-5 with 13 minutes left, his side did not take their foot off the throat and notably retained their systems - putting players in gaps and looking for support, rather than getting greedy and having a crack individually.

Coming off the bench after long injury absences were noted playmakers Nick Harding and Steelie Koro, who both got through the match nicely although the play was hardly physical.

"Really impressed with the way we hit the game line, and then the ball did the work," said Williams afterwards.

"It could have turned into a real festival [but] there was a lot of unselfish play out there.

"So long as the boys are enjoying themselves."

The same could not be said for the shellshocked visitors, with some serious mental gymnastics being used by the coaching staff to lift their spirits in the long team huddle after the game.

Wanganui Development 108 (Tupu Tavae 4, Josaia Bogileka 3, Simeli Konifredi 3, Kieran Hussey 3, Jack Hodges, Fiatau Faalili, Kaveni Dabonaise, Jaye Flaws, Nick Harding tries; Tavae 4 con, Isireli Baleitavuki 2 con, Te Tua Kemp 2 con, Konifredi con) bt Horowhenua-Kapiti Development 5 (Warren Hunia try). HT: 48-5.