Slow start but Hautapu secures win
Hamilton Marist used home advantage to come out firing against visitors Hautapu, in Saturday’s top premiership club rugby match.
The Green Machine was first to strike, scoring a couple of easy tries in the first 15 minutes, stunning captain Mitch Jacobson and his Hautapu outfit.
But Marist was only to score one more try for the entire game as Jacobson steadied the ship and piled on the tries to win 53-15.
In fact the visitors from Cambridge recorded nine tries in total, most through the midfield and wings.
High-peformer Dion Berryman, in the No.11 jersey but playing on the right wing, ran from one end of the field to the other, to dot and score Hautapu’s first try.
Centre Tautau Kapea scored two tries for Hautapu while lock Alex Graham and captain Jacobson were also among the try scorers.
Hautapu’s first-five Ciarahn Matoe kicked four conversions to keep the points tally going.
The try scorers for Marist included hooker Logan Daniels, winger Tu’u Fale abd centre BJ Lima.
Over at Campbell Park in Morrinsville, Hamilton Old Boys premier A team captain Adam Burn was getting set to play his 100th game for the club.
The milestone lifted his HOB players, taking care of the Morrinsville outfit, 39-3 on Saturday afternoon.
In total, HOB scored seven tries, featuring the entire front row, including prop Wesley Tapueluelu who dotted down twice, while hooker Tyrone Te Rukuruku and prop Sosia Fale also crossed over.
The only points scored by Morrinsville was through the boot of centre, Regan Osbourne, who slotted a penalty.
Burn celebrated the 100th match with his parents who came over to watch the game too.
Hamilton Old Boys Rugby Club had another big win at the weekend, but this time it was the club’s women’s team, which dispatched their Otorohanga counterparts, 89-0.
The Friday night match was played under heavy fog and muddy conditions at Fred Jones Park in Hamilton.
With poor visibility, there was little chip-and-chase play and the match became a real arm wrestle between the two sides.
HOB’s Ana Masters was again a standout for her team, running hard lines and kicking conversions over the mist-cover goal posts.