Awanui wrest Hart Cup from Eastern
RUGBY UNION
EASTERN UNITED 38 AWANUI 42: (halftime 18-14): The standout match from week 2 of the North Zone senior club rugby competition took place at Taipa where the two form teams in Mangonui went try for try until the visitors ran out to an unassailable advantage to take the win and the Hart Cup.
The cup will be up for grabs in the next game Awanui play against one of their Mangonui stablemates.
Awanui coach Paul Scutt described the match as a brilliant advertisement for Mangonui rugby and paid tribute to the homeside.
“Eastern are one of those sides that don’t go away, they are there for the full 80 minutes. They have been the benchmark for last couple of years. We really needed this win going forward.”
Standouts included veterans Ismeli Taqea in the backs, in devastating form in his first game of the season to grab a couple of tries, and big No 8 Frank Roberts who Scutt singled out for special praise: “Just what we needed in defence, he stands up in those pressure situations.”
Scutt emphasised Awanui was in a rebuilding phase, evident with 11 players under 20 on the teamsheet, and said he appreciated having Robert ‘Bru’ Rush as referee for the second week in a row.
Eastern coach Dave Jurlina admitted the hosts fell off the pace as Awanui seemed to shift up a gear in the first half of the second spell. Eastern may have come within four points at the end but it was all “too little too late” by this point; Awanui perhaps taking their foot off the home team’s throat with the result in the bag to all intent and purposes.
Jurlina believed his side should have had more points on the board at the break but hadn’t quite capitalised on all their opportunities;
“Good game, played at a fast pace,” he said. “First half we were quite well structured and organised. We certainly got ourselves in a good position [to win]. We came back in the last 10 to 15 but ended up a bit short,” he said, conceding the final result may have in part been due to Eastern’s preference to run the ball and opting for a lineout or scrum rather than kicking for goal. But he was still positive.
“It was a fantastic game. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
Tries: Brandon Jurlina, Hayden Jurlina (the No 6 also picking up the forward POTD citation), Jared Bellingham, Kyle Thomson and Leo Emery, with Mitchell Jurlina converting all five and one penalty attempt. Also notable was wing Pene Roger.
“In the last 15 we scored three times. Just ran out of time.”
KAEO 50 OKAIHAU 20 (HT 17-5) Kaeo continued their good start to the season by walloping Bay stablemates at Waikoura Domain which saw them share the top of the standings with Moerewa United Kawakawa and Kaikohe, all three teams having earned a maximum of 10 points from two games.
Despite the promising start, Kaeo coach Paul Nathan didn’t want to see anyone getting too far ahead of themselves.
“We had our moments,” he conceded. “Okaihau were very, very strong, particularly in the forwards, their scrum just blew straight over the top of us. It was a hard day in the office for our forwards, but we have a very good backline.”
Kaeo tries for Matiu Khale 4, Chase Hughes, Cody Kemp Bruce and Robbie Whiu, while standouts were blindside flanker Jamahl Stewart (overall POTD), prop Richard Rihari Allen (forward POTD) and wing Jack Graham (back POTD). Nathan also gave a big shout out to the homeside supporters.
Okaihau coach Clint ‘Chops’ Clayden noted his players were relegated to playing catch up for the entire 80 minutes but at least no one was “all that rapt” with the away effort; something to take into next week’s game at least then.
“Tough day in the office, we got a thrashing. They had some classy backs . . . ran away with it in last 15 minutes. It was a good day. They [Kaeo] are good, eh? They have rebuilt, got a few Kerikeri players who didn’t want to go down to the southern comp this year.”
Tries by Daniel Lavakeiaho, Damian Halliday and Todd Campbell with Jason ‘Rangi’ Moffat kicking the difference, while standouts were locks Todd Campbell and, at No.5, Dale Thomas,
Clayden said Okaihau was really looking forward to playing Ohaeawai this week. The two sides were in cahoots last season so it’s not difficult to imagine there will be no love lost. “Bit of a grudge match . . . ”
KAIKOHE 31 PANGURU 21 (HT): Kaikohe claim their second win of the new season on home turf.
Panguru coach Mike Te Wake said the visitors travelled really well with a big contingent of supporters shuttling over the Hokianga harbour by ferry.
“We started off with a hiss and a roar, all guns blazing, just injuries to crucial players on the field and Kaikohe just exploited that, picked out our weaknesses and went for it,” he said, and noting somewhat ironically Panguru had scored 21 points exactly in the previous week’s loss to Eastern.
Te Wake thanked Kaikohe for the beautiful aftermatch dinner and also noted the club celebrated a reunion of players from the 1969 team which won the Bay of Islands championship 50 years ago.
Panguru tries by Mikey Tangimetua (and one conversion and three penalties) and hooker Peter Oneroa, while standouts were fullback Walter Lee Pomare and tighthead prop Rodney Shepherd.
MOEREWA UNITED KAWAKAWA 73 KAITAIA 12: The Bay of Islands and North Zone champions came on way too strong and powerful for the Mangonui side at Kawakawa.
Coach Wayne Martin didn’t have a lot to say, his way of indicating the score perhaps spoke for itself. He also noted the ground was the hardest anyone had seen it in years.
Moerewa UK standout was Warren Dunn with four tries (playing at fullback then moving to centre), while Henare Davis scored a hat-trick, Rhys George scored two, with other tries for Gerald Lee Schalz (the hooker picking up his side’s forward POTD) and Kane Brooks, with the latter kicking several conversions.
TAIAMAI OHAEAWAI 36 TE RARAWA 32: Neither club available for comment on this result at Ludbrook Park.
Bye: Otiria.
■ STANDINGS (after round 2): Moerewa United Kawakawa 10 points (points for/ against 112/45), Kaeo 10 (99/32), Kaikohe 10 (57/33), Awanui 7 (75/74), Eastern 6 (61/63), Otiria 5 (30/22), Taiamai Ohaeawai 5 (48/58), Te Rarawa 2 (44/85), Panguru 1 (42/57), Okaihau 0 (42/80), Kaitaia 0 (12/73).
"Eastern are one of those sides that don’t go away, they are there for the full 80 minutes. They have been the benchmark for last couple of years. We really needed this win going forward."
Awanui coach Paul Scutt