Another leap ahead as O¯ haupo¯ have prevailed over Taupiri

A combined A and B O¯ haupo¯ rugby side headed to Taupiri last Friday night for their second pre-season game of 2022.

O¯ haupo¯ have made giant strides under the guidance of former Whanganui rep Jordan Farrington and former Chiefs and Taranaki prop Mitch Graham over the past two seasons, and both coaches are back for their third season in charge.

The last time O¯ haupo¯ headed north under the Taupiri Mountain was two seasons ago, when they defeated Taupiri for the first time in O¯ haupo¯ rugby history.

Even though this game was a preseason encounter, it was played like a true competition game.

O¯ haupo¯ started with their strongest side and looked the more organised team early on.

O¯ haupo¯ dominated the early forward encounters and were strong at set piece, especially at lineout time, where they were all over Taupiri.

Not just winning their own lineouts through locks Liam Fox and Alex Fullerton, and Ben Parrott, but winning six off Taupiri’s ball.

Consistently getting front-foot ball, Josh Thomas dictated play from first five-eighth.

And it was Thomas who stepped his way through the Taupiri defence to put the first points on the board for O¯haupo¯.

The O¯ haupo¯ forwards were outstanding in general play, one being prop Taylor Hayes, who made the Waikato Divisional XV in 2021, and going by Friday’s display looked like he is for another big season.

It was Hayes who was next to score for O¯ haupo¯ , crashing over from close to the line to score after several O¯ haupo¯ raids at the Taupiri line.

Others in the O¯ haupo¯ forward pack to stand out were Fullerton, Fox and Parrott.

Fox got around the field like an extra loose forward and was consistently one of the first forwards to the breakdown; he was also not afraid to take his turn with ball in hand.

Fullerton worked hard off the ball, and Parrott was strong on the tackle.

In the backs, midfielder Dylan Samson consistently got across the advantage line, using great footwork to put his team on the front foot.

Fullback Dean Fullerton again displayed his magnificent positional play, consistently catching the ball on the full.

Taupiri managed to claw one back just before the break, when their busy openside flanker crashed over.

O¯ haupo¯ made wholesale changes at halftime, this enabled Taupiri to have their best period in the game.

Taupiri were camped down in the Ohaupo¯ ¯ 22 for the next 15 minutes of the game and were first to score in the second half when their talented fullback stepped his way through the O¯ haupo¯ defence.

Taupiri were then back in the contest.

O¯ haupo¯ continued to defend, until coaches Farrington and Graham slowly started to roll some of their big guns back in the contest.

O¯ haupo¯ were back in control and finished the game off the stronger team when replacement lock Jacob Reymer went over in the corner.

Met Camaibatiki, who last year spent a lot of his time at lock or in the back row, played this one at prop, and was impressive with his roundthe-field play. He was rewarded when he scored O¯haupo¯’s last try.

If this game was anything to go by, Ohaupo¯ ¯ will again be a force within Waikato’s first division.

Hayes and Fox were two of Ohaupo¯’s ¯ best and were well supported by Parrott who put in a workaholic performance.

The midfield pairing of Samson and centre Bronson Wilson-Beech was a constant threat to the Taupiri backline.

Out wide, Roy Drew challenged the defence every time he touched the¯ ball.

Ohaupo¯ took out the match 25-10 and will play their first season game against Puta¯ruru on April 2.