Taniwharau blunt Tigers’ claws
Taniwharau have sealed top spot in the Waikato club rugby league competition and at the same time put a decent-sized psychological dent in the hopes of their main challengers, the Hamilton City Tigers.
The two met in a table-topping clash in the penultimate round of the regular season at Hamilton’s Resthills Park on Saturday but it was far from an intriguing contest, with the visitors running away with the match 36-6.
That ensures Taniwharau the No 1 spot for the playoffs, which earns them a week off to start the four-week finals series.
The Tigers are guaranteed second place and they will be desperate to avenge the weekend’s poor showing as they press on to try and claim a fourth straight title.
Missing influential players Nick Read, Ray Wallace and captain Simon Beale, the Tigers didn’t have their same vigour, and Taniwharau were good enough to punish them.
Led by a strong forward display, particularly from Greg Cameron, David Gideon and Chris Fox, the visitors were able to get a good roll on and create chances out wide, with centres Hiwaroa Grant and Joel Thompson bagging two tries apiece in the team’s seven-try effort.
Playing into the breeze in the first half, Taniwharau opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Grant proved too strong from dummy half.
Just three minutes later they had the Tigers shocked when a kick from Punakai Waikai was left to bounce in noman’s land and went straight into the arms of Charlie Kete-Andersen to cross for their second four-pointer.
The home side struggled to get into the game, being made to defend for large parts. Abrasive forward Christy Te Kurapa looked good, both on attack and defence, but things mostly went wrong for his side, including a missed touch finder from a penalty, a kickoff out on the full and halfback Jamal Tamaiva dropping two simple balls.
Taniwharau extended their lead six minutes before the break when Grant dived through on a grubber following some quick hands down the short side on the right touchline.
With the Tigers desperately needing points before the break, they finally got on the board just before the hooter when a pass from centre Namu Puru found winger Renata Leilua, who produced a superb catch and pass in midair to get the ball back inside for Jaz Inia McGarvey to finish.
At halftime the Tigers had a sniff at 14-6 down, but five minutes into the second spell they were sent packing as Grant made a brilliant run down the left sideline, then flicked inside for Thompson.
Taniwharau then put on a fine display of defence before blowing the margin out, with tries in the 64th, 71st and 74th minutes.
Te Otene Wirangi carried three tacklers to power over, Thompson sliced through when the ball was spread wide on the back of a penalty for a high tackle, and hooker Jason Watkins burrowed over to complete the demolition.
While Taniwharau and the Tigers have the top two spots sewn up ahead of the top-five finals, the teams to fill the remaining three spots are now confirmed, but the order is still up in the air.
At the weekend, Turangawaewae’s faint hopes of qualifying were extinguished after they lost 38-18 to the Ngaruawahia Panthers in a well-attended local derby at League Park, while the Otumoetai Eels beat the Hamilton Hornets by default.
The Eels need to beat Turangawaewae in the last round by at least 40 points to take third spot ahead of the Panthers, who will accrue no further points as they have a bye.
Third place ensures a second life in the playoffs, as fourth and fifth play each other in a sudden death clash in the first week.