The Northland Age

Club rugby season about to kick off

- Mate Radich

Sub-unions will only regenerate if the Northland Rugby Union says so, and it is not interested as long as the Whanga¯ rei competitio­n is thriving. What we have now is a parent body that hasn’t a clue about this competitio­n. Years ago a North Auckland side was selected from subunion matches. The provincial side had huge successes, because you had the best players competing at senior and junior levels.

So how are the Mangonui clubs looking this season? “Eastern is getting good numbers, and we had a good tussle in a pre-season game against Kerikeri,” coach Dave Jurlina said.

Awanui will be as strong as ever, even though numbers at training are short. Coach Pops Arona is confident that his side will be very competitiv­e.

Last year’s champions, Te Rarawa, under coach Thomas Rogers, are looking good. The boys are keen, with a good squad turning up at training. Kaitaia is looking strong too, under coaches Brett Tracey and Joseph Pomare. With lights up at Arnold Rae

Park, the club is keen to have night matches. The club competitio­n starts on Saturday, April 10.

No place for losers

When you fail in sport in Australia you get the bullet. It happened on Sunday to New Zealander Rob Penney, coach of the NSW Waratahs, after they were thrashed by the Queensland Reds 14-46. Penney’s three-year contract, which lasted less than two years, was terminated immediatel­y.

The Waratahs are sitting at the bottom of the Aussie Super Rugby table, but it is reported that Penney is very disappoint­ed that he hasn’t been given the full opportunit­y to fight with the squad he has.

Meanwhile the Chiefs’ brilliant lastminute try, by utility back Damien McKenzie, for a 15-12 win over the Blues on Saturday now has the Auckland side fighting to make the

Super Rugby Aotearoa play-offs.

The Blues were their own worst enemies. In a tight match they turned down at least five opportunit­ies to kick at goal. More concerning, their forward pack was out-muscled. As coach Leon McDonald said, “We like to play a lot better than we did”.

They face the Hurricanes, who were impressive in their strong win over the Highlander­s, on Saturday.

And that’s how Mate sees it.

 ?? Photo / NZ Herald ?? The Waratahs have been well beaten many times (including in this 2003 encounter against the Auckland Blues), but last week’s thrashing was one too many for coach Rob Penney.
Photo / NZ Herald The Waratahs have been well beaten many times (including in this 2003 encounter against the Auckland Blues), but last week’s thrashing was one too many for coach Rob Penney.

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