Two-horse race on shortened course
It might be a two-horse race for the Hankins Shield in the abbreviated Manawatu¯ season as Varsity dealt to an under-manned College Old Boys 45-14 on Saturday and Feilding swamped Kia Toa 51-16.
Varsity went on a rampage with the wheels of Turbo Te Rangatira Waitokia and Tamatoa Ropati a factor in many of the students’ backline breaks and seven tries.
Varsity had the game won 31-7 at halftime at the Sport and Rugby Institute, while COB copped the wrath of referee Matty Mcewan in the first half, as did Varsity in the second.
Varsity opened with lock Micaiah Torrance-reid strolling around the front of a lineout.
Quick, slick passing outflanked COB as the sky blue forwards led by Nick Grogan, Sam Tufuga and Flyn Yates took control. Halfback Bryn Wilson had a fine all-round game.
COB’S two tries came in the first and last minutes of the game.
A week ago they had lost lock Matt Cressy to a broken jaw but in came aspiring Turbo big lock Sam Liebezeit, a West Coast rep last year, on for the first 40.
Turbos midfielder James Tofa was concussed at training, skipper Adam Coll was injured early and Stewart Cruden was out with a strained hamstring.
After halftime Varsity dashed in for two more tries, even while lock Doug Juszczyk was in the sin bin. Only ill-timed passes saved COB before they came to life in the last 10.
Feilding also showed their credentials in a 51-16 win over Kia Toa at Johnston Park.
First five-eighth Ben Wyness pinned Kias in their end through his kicking and the Feilding rush defence stymied Kia Toa.
It was 6-all early on but Feilding upped the ante through the middle third of the match with all the ball and all the territory.
Feilding’s backline made inroads through Wyness, centre Josiah Maraku and wings Andre Taylor and Brad Carr.
Harry Jones, Sam Wasley and TK Howden all starred in the forwards for Yellows.
Loose forwards Brayden Iose and Ofa Tauatevalu sparked things for Kias.
Big Samoan international Filo Paulo made a couple of big runs.
Feilding Old Boys-o¯roua had a 29-27 win over Te Kawau at Rongotea. Both teams were willing attackers but Te Kawau could not string phases together and gave away too many penalties. An early Fob-o¯roua try sparked Te Kawau into life but Fob-o¯roua hit back with a try just before halftime to take a 15-10 lead. Fob-o¯roua first five-eighth Layton Manual and second fiveeighth Paora Rakatau were dominant. A key moment in the second half was when hooker Keilan Henry scooped up a kick and made a miracle offload for flanker Tyler Moeau to race 40 metres and score for a 22-13 lead. Henry and No 8 Alex Hawira had big games for Fob-o¯roua, whilewing Jamie Perigo was their dangerman. He sealed the win with a late try to give Fob-o¯roua a nine-point lead with seven minutes left. Te Kawau scored to narrow the gap and were on attack at the death.
Old Boys-marist put in a strong second half to remain unbeaten, winning 41-7 against
Freyberg at Colquhoun Park.
Freyberg put Ob-marist under pressure in the first half.
It was nil-all at halftime but in then Ob-marist played more directly and their forwards made the Freys tacklers work hard.
That made life easy for OBMarist fullback Max Harris, centre Ben Werthmuller and second five-eighth Hayden Hill and they scored seven tries.
The women’s competition started this week. Defending champions Kia Toa thrashed
Linton, back from recess, 65-3 at Bill Brown Park. Feilding Old Boys-o¯roua thrashed new team Bush 72-0 at Victoria Park in Feilding. Varsity beat the new
Whanganui Metro side 24-0 at Massey University.
In schoolboy rugby, the Feilding High School first XV beat Gisborne Boys’ High School 28-10 in Gisborne on Friday.