Rugby: Youngsters guide Marist to big win

Marist winger Simon Dibben had a good game against Utiku on Spriggens Park. Photo/Bevan Conley

Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist's young guns were all firing at Spriggens Park on Saturday against a Utiku Old Boys outfit who had the will but lacked firepower.

Scoring six tries, Marist's 34-0 victory sees them join Integrity Motors Pirates at the top of the table as the only teams with two wins after Harvey Round Motors Ratana's shock Grand Hotel Challenge Shield upset over McCarthy's Ruapehu in Ohakune.

Marist's former schoolboys in winger Shayden Phillips and halfback Rory Gudsell scored smart individual tries, while second-five Sam Monaghan was impressive out wide by having a hand in the doubles scored by winger Simon Dibben and centre Josiah Bogileka, the latter atoning for his first-half sinbinning for a dangerous tackle.

Utiku sorely missed injured second-five Jason Coffee, while first-five Te Rangi Tapu McLeod could not get them the impetus they needed with some poorly directly line kicks.

The Utiku forwards held their own and controlled the territory for most of the first half, but beyond repeated phases from one ball runner going off each ruck they did not have a game-breaker to bust Marist open.

"We're hoping they're coming, with a bit of luck," said Utiku coach Gavin Thompson.

"You can't fault their heart, they gave it everything. They just need to come to training."

Having watched his teenagers run Utiku's backline ragged, Marist coach Jason Hamlin was pleased overall, although his team's reckless attempts to throw the ball around inside their own half during the opening stanza would have come back to bite them against stronger opposition.

"Because they are so young, it's a youthful exuberance," he said.

"We try to tell them to play their rugby and see what's in front of them, [but] I'd like them to do it a little bit better."

After spending the opening 15 minutes camped in their own half, Marist got the breakout through fullback Scott Dowman, and following a free kick Dowman fed Mongahan to put Dibben outside his man for the opening try.

Back from the sin bin, Bogileka capitalised on Utiku missing their own lineout to set Dibben up for his double.

A sideline Dibben dash opened Utiku up again for Bogileka to waltz over right on halftime.

Dibben would lay on Bogileka's second try with another breakaway after 51 minutes, then Phillips got around the cover defence and pushed off two tacklers to score nine minutes later.

Gudsell scored a great try from an incisive dart after his pack got the roll-on with some quick passes with 12 minutes left, before Utiku tried everything to get a consolation score with hooker Mark Logan going close on both a barge over attempt and grubber kick.

Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 34 (Simon Dibben 2, Josiah Bogileka 2, Shayden Phillips, Rory Gudsell tries, Scott Dowman 2 con) bt Utiku OB 0. HT: 19-0.