Kia Toa roar back to stifle Varsity
Kia Toa wins over Varsity haven’t been plentiful in recent years, but the double-blues won with ease this time.
Back in their club strip following the fire at their clubrooms that destroyed their uniforms, it helped as they dashed away 29-10 over Varsity at Massey University on Saturday.
Last season, Kia Toa won their firstround clash, then were pipped by the students away at Bill Brown Park.
This time, Kias had their usual penalty woes, and three men sin-binned for tackles above the sternum, but it didn’t inhibit them scoring four tries to one.
Varsity shot to 10-0 after a fine early try by hooker Dylan Hall in a dominant first quarter, and didn’t score again. Kias pounced for tries either side of halftime, survived one stanza of Varsity attacks, and finished them off with two tries.
Aspiring Turbos halfback Logan Love was class for Kia Toa, as were flankers Joe Fabish, a new chiropractor in town, and Ajay Hansen and No 8 Trent Reti. For Varsity, prop George Jacobs and first-five Scott Davidson had steady games.
Kias lie equal second with Old BoysMarist.
Everyone agreed Freyberg could have beaten Old Boys-Marist at a freezing Colquhoun Park, but because of their plague of little errors, didn’t deserve to and lost 32-19.
OBM had extra precision on attack, led by first-five Liam O’Connor with his probing kicks, centre Max Harris and wing Tyson Savai’i, and they scored five tries to three.
After having the bitter easterly at their backs, OBM led only 15-7 after Freys scored right on halftime. That shouldn’t have been enough.
Freyberg, through their cannonball forwards and a runaway try by midfielder Josh Maoate, fought back to 20-19 down as OBM faithful squirmed.
But Freys again conceded penalties, missed tackles out wide and a sitter try from a centre kick, and OBM’s more proficient backs snapped up two more tries.
Freyberg had Manawatū prop Joe Gavigan back for the first time, and while he destroyed early OBM scrums, his power at loosehead meant the scrum was later out of kilter. Hooker Apelu Tautele was a thunderbolt until strangely subbed off.
Hurricanes halfback Jordi Viljoen helped College Old Boys pull clear at the top of the ladder on the back of a 32-22 win over Feilding Yellows at the Arena.
Viljoen made the most of the avalanche of first-half penalties against Feilding to take control of the match, which was poised evenly after the first 15 minutes.
His exemplary service from the base of the ruck and ability to read the defence exposed Yellows’ line, especially down the short side, allowing James Tofa and Rihari Jobe to shine.
Yellows stuck in the fight, but lost their way when first five-eighth Caleb Leef was collected while kicking the ball, injuring his shoulder. Without their organiser and one of their most dangerous attacking weapons, they needed the forward pack to step up, but they were kept quiet.
College had a chance to put the match away in the second half, but mistakes and the reversing of the penalty count left the door open.
With more space, and tired forwards, Feilding centre Kyle Brown capitalised, repeatedly testing the defence. They exposed the COB back three, which was shaky when COB’s new recruit, halfback Jakob Rauhihi-Collis, was thrown into the game at fullback.
Despite Yellows’ big second half, they could not shake College’s forwards, whose control at the breakdown helped them hold on for their fourth win on the trot.
Te Kawau convincingly nailed their first win by downing Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua 48-21 at Kimbolton.
The Real Blokes scored eight tries, with three each from second-five Darren Falaniko and fullback Tadgh O’Connor. Their forwards took a step up, and the backs had more expertise than the Stags, Te Kawau fielding more young players in a strong defensive effort.
Flanker Tom Hansen was back and had a blinder, as again did halfback Kaylum Gullery and lock Alex McConnell on his starting debut, son of long-serving lock Emmett.
FOB-Ōroua had reinforcements back, but gave up two intercept tries and kept attacking. They had enough ball, but needed cohesion and suffered four more injuries.
Their best were halfback Akapita Rakatau, No 8 Ben Taylor and hooker Jahrad Woller.
Scorers:
OB-Marist 32 (Tyson Savai'i 2, Jai Tamati, Hayden Hill, Max Harris, tries; Liam O'Connor pen, 2 con), Freyberg OB 19 (Kees Jahnke, Josh Maoate, Apelu Tautele, tries; Carson Hepi 2 con) HT: 15-7.
Kia Toa 29 (Trent Reti, Sase Va'a, Ezra Malo, Logan Love, tries; Love 3 con, pen), Varsity
(Dylan Hall try; Logan Henry con, pen) HT: 12-10.
Te Kawau 48 (Darren Falaniko 3, Tadhg O'Connor 3, Adam Boult, Peter Lakopo, tries; Kopere Tanoa 2, Falaniko, Boult, con), FOB-Ōroua 21 (Matt Peters, Makesi Tulemau, tries; pen try, con; Paora Rakatau 2 con) HT: 24-7.
College OB 32 (Ben Minhinnick 2, Romuluse Senileba, Rihari Jobe, Jame Tofa tries; Jobe 2 con, Andre Taylor pen),
Feilding 22 (Liam Hill, Jimmy Harrison, Brad Carr tries; Caleb Leef con, pen, Andre Hoggard con) HT: 25-10.
Points: COB 20, Kia Toa 15, OBM 15, Te Kawau 13, Varsity 12, Feilding 8, Freyberg 5, Linton Army 2, FOB-Ōroua 0.