Hinuera bow to promoted Suburbs
McPherson Contractors Hinuera 5 Eastern Suburbs 19
Hinuera took on Eastern Suburbs – a team promoted from last year’s second division – away at Flagstaff.
The hosts had obviously recruited well, with two large units in the locking department, plus former Melville coach Waisake Masirewe and son Nico.
Match conditions proved the absolute worst, but players were able to take high kicks and awkward passes which received high praise. The game was played in constant rain, which didn’t let up.
Hinuera’s tactics of turning the ball in field from the backs became an easily read system, which Eastern Suburbs countered. Ball turned over was punished by their pivot, who thumped the ball down field. The gold and blacks were constantly having to turn themselves around to return said ball.
Toby O’Reilly did find some nice touch kicks that placed his team on attack, but unfortunately errors and turnovers nullified this good work.
The hosts scored in the 13th minute from poor defence, repeated the dose from a charge down to lead 14-nil at the break. A further try in the second half from a kick and chase embarrassed Hinuera even more – 19-nil Suburbs.
Hinuera kept it in the forwards to get on the score sheet, Daniel McGillivray scoring another one for Hunter – 19-5.
The hosts have leap frogged Hinuera to now sit in fourth position. It doesn’t get any easier this weekend, with Hinuera hosting unbeaten Southern. Noa Madanawa was player of the day. Other Hinuera results: B’s 23 Suburbs 7; Colts University 8 Hinuera 5