Te Kawau lament loss to Yellows
Manawatū club rugby teams have found themselves short-handed following standdowns after the little-publicised rep trial in Dannevirke on Thursday and with others having played for the Hurricanes Hunters against the New Zealand under-20s on Friday.
The chase is heating up for the top five and Te Kawau will lament their 39-27 loss to Feilding at Johnston Park on Saturday, after Te Kawau had led 27-15 in the second half.
They’d played their guts out in the first 40 with 90% of territory into the wind, but emerged with only a 10-3 halftime lead before adding two quick converted tries in two minutes.
While Kody Edwards’ goalkicking was on song, Te Kawau managed only three tries so missed a bonus point as Yellows lifted and were humming as time ran down, scoring five well-constructed tries.
Feilding was missing flanker Sam Hunter (concussion) and lost prop Ricki Cribb after a minute so Caleb Larsen played 79 minutes after playing for the Bs. Their centre Kyle Brown was again dominant, scoring one try and setting up another as Feilding scored seven tries. Lock Kepa Bryce and hooker Niki Cuming also stood out.
Other Te Kawau heroes were lock Tom Hansen in a dominant lineout, centre Adam Boult and halfback Kaylum Gullery.
Old Boys-Marist was without key Hunters players Liam O'Connor and halfback Jai Tamati and a much improved Varsity pumped them 43-17.
It was a major revival by Varsity who had scored only one try in losing 29-10 to Kia Toa the week before. This time Varsity clapped on seven tries to three at Massey University.
Varsity had a smorgasbord of a lineup with three hookers in the front row and retired Turbo Nick Grogan had a run while halfback Bryn Wilson was at fullback in his 50th game. The makeshift front row survived early scrums and were secure when up 26-5 at halftime.
Varsity's loftier lineout stole the ball, notably from Tauranga Boys' College lock Sam Dyer, while flanker-hooker-prop Dylan Hall and flanker Josefa Tako were rampant.
Second-five Logan Henry deserved his two tries and wing-first-five Hunter Yarrall was slick.
OBM didn’t use the wind in the first 40 and allowed Varsity too much running.
Their best were lock Jay Rolleston with two tries, hooker Chris Cairns as always and centre Max Harris, but they lost flanker Rhys Pedersen early and halfback Hunter Waller to injury.
Eight tries to two epitomised Kia Toa's defeat of a Freyberg team missing 11 players at Bill Brown Park, including influential prop Joe Gavigan.
Each week Kias halfback Logan Love was looking a Turbos prospect and this time he hurt Freyberg with three tries, even if he slotted only one conversion; most tries were scored wide out. Second-five Malua Mauola was another star and he scored twice as Kias surged to 20-5 at halfway.
Freys attacked strongly in the first half and had two tries held up, but Kias defended stoutly. Their lineout stole ball in a team looking good this season. Former Manawatū lock Fraser Stone played 78 minutes in his 20th season of senior rugby as he shuttled to work in Australia.
Kias were without Ajae Hansen (injured), wing Pena Va'a (Hurricanes Hunters) and lost Jeremiah Fryer (dislocated elbow).
Freys’ heads dropped in the second half. Again their best was hooker Apelu Tautele and prop Telson Liuvaie, and in the backs Josh Maoate and Tai Rolls-Paewai.
Linton Army celebrated their club day by breaking their duck with a convincing 45-5 win over Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua at the army camp.
With coach Troy Sherriff running the cutter from No 10 and experienced halfback Tejay Oliver, Linton displayed fine form as they dispatched their fellow senior one returnees with ease.
They played with freedom and regularly found space out wide, as they raced to a 31-0 lead at halftime.
Levani Rova continued to shape as one of the finds of the season. The electric outside back bagged a contender for try of the season, stepping his way past six defenders as he raced 85m down field.
It was a concerning showing from FOBŌroua,
who looked a shadow of the side that cruised through senior two unbeaten last season.
The Stags struggled to hold onto the ball for prolonged periods with basic mistakes ruining any chances they had on attack.
They were much improved on defence in the second half which spared their blushes.
Linton’s standouts were 45-year-old prop Karl Stewart, fullback Taiaha Mangu and hooker Leif Schwencke, who left the field with an arm injury.
The challenge for Linton would be replicating that form in back-to-back weeks.
They already had 40 players strip for four games.
College Old Boys had the bye.
The Prue Christie Cup kicked off with both of last season’s finalists stamping their mark on the competition.
Only four teams were playing this year. Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua and Bush had withdrawn.
Old Boys-Marist picked apart Freyberg 53-7 at Colquhoun Park, with their well-structured attack and physicality at the ruck too much for Freyberg to handle.
Centre Wikitoria Doyle, prop Ngano Tavake and No 8 Anahera Hamahona all starred for OBM, while No 8 Elinor-Plum King and centre Siteri Tabua were the best for Freyberg.
Kia Toa were ruthless in their 71-17 win over Wairarapa Wahine Toa at Bill Brown Park.
Keira Mete bagged four tries, while Kara Adrole and Georgina Rose looked like players to keep an eye on in the pack.
Scorers:
Men:
Feilding 39 (Liam Hill, Niki Cuming, Kyle Brown, Jaxon Lees, Brad Carr, Shaq Waara, Carlos Ropoama-Third, tries; Carr 2 con)
Te Kawau 27 (Shaun Lawton-Sue 2, Darren Falaniko, tries; Kody Edwards 2 pen, 3 con) HT 3-10.
Kia Toa 42 (Logan Love 3, Malua Lauola 2, Sanaila Rodan 2, Jeremiah Fryer, tries; Love con) Freyberg 10 (Apelu Tautele, Lawrence Liuvaie, tries) HT 20-5.
Varsity 43 (Logan Henry 2, Reece Brosnan 2, Hunter Yarrall, Regan Sword, Dylan Hall, tries; Henry 4 con) OB-Marist 17 (Jay Rolleston 2, Matene Ruawai, tries; Hayden Hill con) HT 26-5.
Linton Army 45 (Levani Rova 2, Taiaha Mangu 2, Troy Sherriff, Freedom Lemaua, Tejay Oliver tries; Mangu 5 con) FOBŌroua 5 (Akapita Rakatau try) HT 31-0
Points: Kia Toa 20, COB 20, Varsity 17, OBM 15, Feilding 13, Te Kawau 13, Linton 7, Freyberg 5, FOBŌ 0.
Women:
OBM 53 (Ngano Tavake 2, Season Blackburn-Kingi 2, Kahurangi Sturmey, Rangimarie Sturmey, Anahera Hamahona, Wikitoria Doyle, Keely Patterson tries; Laura Claridge 4 con) Freyberg 7 (Elinor-Plum King try; Siteri Tabua con).
Kia Toa 71 (Keira Mete 4, Kara Adrole, Katelyn Donaldson, Samara Kells, Marilyn Fanoga, Tory Ratima, Taylor Waterson, Corrineke Windle tries; Windle 7 con, Cindy Rees-Rupapera con) Wairarapa Wahine Toa 17 (Brodee Walker, Darian Walker, Maia Svenson tries; Brodee Walker con).