Rangitīkei derby returns with Marton and Rātana back in Premier

It was a much anticipated and festive afternoon at Rā tana Pa on Saturday, but come fulltime on a rain-swept field, it was the Pasifika voices singing the loudest as Marton proved the party-crashers with a grinding 10-7 win.

Marton and Rā tana have returned to Tasman Tanning Premier rugby for the first time since 2019 and 2014 respectively, making it the first topgrade Rangitīkei derby in a decade.

Each team came away well aware they had a lot of work to do in improving their set-piece before facing the big dogs of the competition.

It was four-seasons-in-one-day weather, the match starting in sunshine and finishing in hard rain, with play very stop-start, but Marton struck while fresh in both halves with early tries to lock Kali Rasese and fullback Barba Jr Peika respectively.

Both sides had lineout troubles, Marton’s occurring in the first half to prevent them from extending a 5-0 advantage, and although the visitors’ scrum was buoyed to turn the Rā tana pack for a couple of penalties, injury to a couple of props reduced the match to golden oldies in the 60th minute.

Getting the wind and “downhill” advantage in the second half, Rā tana were finally able to close the gap through a backline with a lot of raw potential — former Steelform Whanganui player Cody Hemi scoring off a burst and offload by centre Lafo Takiari.

Along with first five Brooklyn Herewini and Hurricanes Under 20s wider training squad member Mitai Hemi, they could do a bit of damage this season, but they need momentum to do it.

Up front, player-coach Jamie Hughes did his best at flanker with a mountain of tackling, while fellow veteran Marius Joseph at No 8 looked to get them on the front foot.

Reserve back Cory Chant claimed what would have been the winning try with a kick-chase into the in-goal with less than three minutes left, but the ball had been ruled lost forward earlier in the movement.

While Marton were likewise still finding their way, the acquisition of Dane Whale is crucial — as the incumbent Steelform Whanganui skipper led them around the field and used his kicking game, especially with the first half breeze, while looking for width attack through his familiar Taihape partnership with fellow new arrival in centre Tim Goodwin.

Marton have some raw potential in their backline as well — wingers Loki Peniasi and Ben Ranitu looked dangerous in broken field play — while halfback Dakuitago Ratu went on lots of probing runs.

The visitors overcame the professional foul sinbinnings of Whale and flanker Mosese Vueti in each half, while defending inside their own 50m for most of latter stages, before working out of harm’s way with a couple of penalties to end the match.

As a season opener, Marton coach Shane Ratima was happy to get out of the Pa with a win any way he could.

“I think spending more time together as a team [will help] — we’re facing a few challenges of quite a few of my guys are on night shifts, so we can only train one night together as a group.

“I think as time progresses we’ll get a bit more clarity on what we’re doing out there,” Ratima said.

“I wanted to keep the message simple today that it was just around effort, and they certainly gave that towards the back end of the game.

“I knew [the] lineout was going to be a bit of an issue, we’ve only had three unit sessions together and

lineout is one of those key work-ons.

“Once the guys understand each other and get better at our lift-jump throws — I take a bit of passion and pride in that area — we’ll be working hard on that to make sure we get it better.”

Ratima praised Whale, who will take on so much responsibility for lifting the team up to Premier standard.

“Class is everlasting and Dane’s certainly an example of that, and to have that leadership and direction around the field, we probably wouldn’t have come out with that result without that.”

For his first game in charge on such an historic afternoon, Hughes obviously hoped for better, but has his own list of areas to start addressing.

“Probably lineouts, trying to win the set piece.

“I thought we were a bit hard done by when it went to golden oldies, especially in Premier grade.

“It’s good to have three teams playing out at the Pa, having the women’s team coming out for the first time, and even the Bs [Senior team] fronting. I think this is the first time since maybe 2014 that we’ve had [two teams].

“There’s a lot of young fellas here, young talent.

“Once we get front foot ball in the forwards, the backs will be able to be unleashed.”