Kerikeri sides deal with Western invaders

Whangarei

Kerikeri 40 Western Sharks 22 (7-10): Kerikeri coming from behind to win their penultimate game of their inaugural season in the Bayleys Premiership against the Western Sharks at the Kerikeri Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.

Manager Sean Anderson said it was a good day for the local supporters with the Bs also enjoying a comfortable 102-5 win over the visiting Sharks and consolidating their chances of making the top four of the reserve grade.

Standouts included O’Neal Rongo (forward POTD), having just returned from a world cup qualifier with Rarotonga — although the 21-year-old didn’t make the final cut — and 1st five Nikau Graham (back POTD) who stepped up from the club’s Bs.

The Keri Prems — preparing to play their last game of the season against Old Boys Marist this coming Saturday — are currently sitting sixth on the table with no chance of making the top four.

If the Reserves do make the playoffs, by winning this weekend and needing another result to go their way, Anderson was ambivalent over whether he’ll stack the side with A players even though he understood this was something other Whangarei clubs had been doing at the business end of the season.

■ STANDINGS, all played 17: Premier (Joe Morgan Memorial): Kamo (for/ against 600/272) 78 points, Waipu (499/372) 61, Old Boys Marist (591/402) 59, Hora Hora (539/383) 58; Wellsford (418/435) 45, Kerikeri (503/466) 43, Mid Northern (508/522) 38, Hikurangi (341/566) 27, Western Sharks (303/603) 21, Otamatea Hawks (284/565) 12.

Prem reserves: Kamo (676/245) 77, Mid Northern (602/415) 62, OBM (443/313) 55, Wellsford (531/432) 52; Kerikeri (565/418) 51, Otamatea (336/369) 36, Hora Hora (339/537) 36, Waipu (377/449) 35, Hikurangi (300/520) 28, Western Sharks (240/711) 19.