Seven-up (sometimes seven-down) so far

For good luck or bad, Bennett’s Taihape cannot escape the number 7, as the young team finds its way in the 2021 Tasman Tanning Senior competition.

Away and at home, Taihape have been the one team so far to give undefeated table leaders Harvey Round Motors Ratana and Kelso Hunterville a real fright, narrowly going down 29-22 and 26-19 respectively to the one-team clubs.

However, with the chance to show their wares against lower table sides, Taihape have been on the other side of narrow seven-point affairs — just holding off Marist Buffalos (19-12) and Speirs Food Marton (21-14) in away fixtures.

The close results have positioned Taihape in the lower-midtable, with a points differential of exactly 0, but still within striking distance of the semifinal group.

“The last five minutes, the other teams got that try to get the bonus point against us — but a win is a win,” said coach Tane Martin of the mixed bag.

“We’ve got a lot of young fellas coming through, and us old fellas are trying to jump out of the way.

“Trying to do set plays, but the boys are getting better.

“Once we get that right, we can move on and expand.”

The 2019 version of Taihape dominated Senior — which was played as a first-round

competition — before moving up to the hybrid Division 2, where their run at another silver cup was derailed in the semifinals by the-then Premier squad of Black Bull Liquor Pirates, whom they had previously beaten in the roundrobin.

The Covid-19 disrupted 2020 season brought some personnel changes, with Taihape finishing in the lower-midtable with a 4-1-5 record.

Head coach Dylan Ratana stepped down to focus on other commitments, so Martin has been joined by Sefo Bourke — bringing his experience from successes in Premier with Byford’s Readimix Taihape, as well as having won a club title in Otorohanga.

It is Old Timers Day at Memorial Park tomorrow, and as well as the Premier match of Taihape vs Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, the Taihape Seniors will take on Counties in the first of three home fixtures.

While starting as favourites, Martin has seen enough close calls over the past four weeks to not take anyone for granted. “Every team is different and Counties is another country team like us. You can’t take any team easy.”