Taniwharau maintain perfect record

It’s now a perfect 10 for Taniwharau in the Waikato club rugby league competition, as they close in on securing top spot for the playoffs.

A second comfortable win for the season over the Ngaruawahia Panthers – this time 28-6 at League Park in Ngaruawahia on Saturday – extended Taniwharau’s winning run for the year into double figures.

They have a bye next up, before two games to close out the double round robin, where they are all set to qualify top and enjoy the advantages of weeks off and home advantage.

Having accounted for the Panthers 20-6 in Huntly a couple of months back, Taniwharau this time dotted down a couple more times, with six tries in all in the slippery conditions, with the visitors - despite spending two lots of 10 minutes with a player in the sin bin - proving just that bit more clinical than the hosts.

There was a decent feeling-out period to open the contest before the heavens opened, but Taniwharau had most of the early chances, and they opened the scoring in the 21st minute, with winger Jordan Tai Rakena going over in the left corner.

Soon later second rower Tamihanga Morunga went over, but knocked on, and the Panthers were able to breathe a sigh of relief, but just weren’t able to pile on pressure at the other end.

Then, in the space of four minutes before halftime, the ruthless table-toppers struck a double blow.

First, with not much on, halfback Darren Kingi pivoted, chipped over the top and with the Panthers making a meal of the clean up, interchange hooker Koroheke Moana-Taniwha scooted through to collect.

Then, despite loose forward Pawhare Brown being sat down by referee Leon Williamson for being offside at a Ngaruawahia quick tap, the Panthers coughed up the ball, and in the blink of an eye centre Mahinga Rangi went on a brilliant runaway, which suddenly made it 14-0 at halftime.

Taniwharau didn’t exactly start the second stanza in style, knocking on from the restart - then again after five-eighth Duane Sykes had peeled off a 40/20 - but the Panthers’ ball control was sloppy too.

Just as Brown was re-entering, the visitors lost Codie Christensen to the bin, rather harshly, for what was deemed a high tackle.

Needing to hit back, the Panthers forced a couple of dropouts in succession, then they made that pressure count when second rower Benjamin Greenwood gave a lovely no-look pop pass for fullback Rex Sullivan to sweep on to.

Back within eight points with 25 minutes left, there was a game to be had, but Ngaruawahia were guilty of coughing up the ball in the set after scoring, and Taniwharau don’t need too many invitations.

Soon later the Panthers defence was caught drifting, and Rangi produced a good finish out left for his second.

While Taniwharau’s handling wasn’t exactly vintage either, they were able to keep the game down the Panthers’ end, then put the icing on the cake with two tries in the final eight minutes.

Brown sent up an outstanding spiral bomb and, with Sullivan in all sorts, the ball was left to bounce and Christensen slid through to score, before Tai Rakena notched a double with a great chase and dive on the end of a lovely dab over the top from fullback Malcolme Noda.

While the Panthers remain in second spot, they have played one more game than the Hamilton City Tigers, who are one-point back after thrashing Hukanui 44-4 at Resthills Park.

The other match at Resthills Park, between College Old Boys and the Coast Steelers, finished in a 26-26 draw, and who knows how important that extra point could prove for Old Boys, who are fighting for a place in the top-five playoffs.