Offseason hard work flows through for Clutha

THE allconquering Clutha ‘‘are going pretty good’’.

It is a huge understatement, really. The team has made a perfect start with six bonuspoint wins from six games.

It is five points clear at the top of the competition standings. Nearest rival Crescent has been going nicely as well with 25 points.

Clutha Valley (23 points) and Heriot (18 points) complete the top four.

But Clutha has set the benchmark and has the added bonus of having got most its away games out of the way.

‘‘Yeah, it has been a pretty good run,’’ coach Ben Keach responded when asked about his side’s start.

‘‘We put in a lot of hard work during the offseason.

‘‘We have quite a few new boys and they’ve all bought into the idea that we had to work hard and get stuck into it early on. We’ve only had one home game this year . . . so we knew it was going to be a pretty tough first round.

‘‘But the boys have fronted every week.’’

They certainly have. Clutha is averaging more than 40 points a game while maintaining the best defensive record in the competition.

With five home games to look forward to in the second round, Clutha can continue to play an expansive brand and get its exciting back three into the action at every opportunity.

‘‘We’ve got, I think, two of the three best outside backs in the competition. Our style of rugby is to take them on up front to make room for our back three.’’

Fullback Tyler Bichan is an experienced campaigner. He runs some good angles, has good vision and is also the goal kicker.

Winger Ropeni Fesilafai has returned from injury and has scored six tries in three games.

‘‘He is not a very big man but he knows how to beat a man.’’

On the other flank, cocaptain Kane Teunissen’s main attribute is his pace.

‘‘He is only a wee fellow as well but he can motor and he is strong as well.’’

Second fiveeighth Matt Barton has been a steadying influence in the midfield.

He has two 18yearolds playing inside him and ‘‘has been rock solid on D and, when he gets a chance to attack, he does not make any mistakes’’.

In the pack, front rower Chub Miller and lock Scott Hollows have provided the grunt. Loose forward Mala Saimoni has been influential as well.

Clutha plays Toko this weekend and, on form, the defending champion should be too strong. Pencil the team in for another five points.

PHOTO: SI LEEDS Battering ram . . . Clutha’s Rym Geary gets hit with a double tackle but still manages to push his way through the Crescent defence during a South Otago premier match last month.