Club rugby: A humdinger on the way as Tech and Taradale get ready for showdown

Havelock North lock Baden Papuni knocks on over the line early in the match against Tamatea, but the home side in Havelock still managed seven tries to win a Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy match 48-17. Photo / Ian Cooper

Whatever a humdinger is, it is what’s now in store for next week’s Ray White Maddison Trophy after Napier Tech Old Boys and Taradale won in a second successive weekend of close games in Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby today.

First-round Nash Cup winners Napier Tech Old Boys kept their unbeaten record for the season intact by scraping through for the second time in seven days with a 36-34 win over Hastings Rugby and Sports, after being behind almost all the way at Ellwood Park, Hastings, while Maddison Trophy holders Taradale led almost all the way in a high-scoring Tareha Park match in Taradale to beat Napier Old Boys Marist 44-37.

In the other match, Central, which drew with Tech when the championship round opened the previous Saturday, had to ward off a second-half challenge to beat MAC 19-14 in Waipukurau.

In Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy matches, Napier Pirate, coming off a two-point win over Tamatea in the first week after the end of their hopes of a Maddison Trophy place, had a 29-26 home win over Clive, and Havelock North, coming off a bye, had a 48-17 win over Tamatea.

Tech found itself down 17-0 in the first half, and Hastings were still ahead 17-12 at halftime, and appeared to have the game safe when up 31-19 in the last quarter, before someone pressed the drama button.

A converted try and then a penalty put Tech into the lead for the first time at 33-31. Hastings fired back with a penalty goal to Moana Pasifika Super Rugby player Danny Toala, playing at first five-eighths, to make it 34-33 - but it was opposite number Sheridan Rangihuna who had the final say with a penalty to save the game for the Texans with about three minutes to go.

Taradale scored seven tries in its game, including two to left wing Majella Tufuga, making him equal top try-scorer for the season with 13 to his name after 12 games, Old Boys Marist scored five - four in the forwards including two to flanker Josh Gimblett.

In Waipukurau, Central scored all their points in the first half, including two tries to No 8 and Magpies and former Auckland and Moana Pasifika loose forward Siosiua (Josh) Kaifa, to lead 19-0 at halftime, but MAC replied with two converted tries in the second half. First five-eighths Jordan Soli’s two conversions for the home side made him the number one points-scorer for the season, with 122 in his first year in Hawke’s Bay.

The results put Taradale, Tech, Central and Old Boys Marist in the box seat for semifinal places, with Hastings and MAC now five points adrift, and facing a criucial match against each other in Flaxmere next Saturday.

Napier Old Boys Marist remained unbeaten after four games in the Division 2 championship with a 29-23 win over Porangahau, while Clive remained in front in the Colts championship with a 65-10 win over OBM.

Meanwhile Wairoa Athletic beat Nuhaka 20-15 in a Wairoa district derby in the Poverty Bay Senior 1 competition, in which third Wairoa side Tapuae had a win by default. Tapuae lead the competition and Athletic have had had one loss.

Pahīatua side Bush, the only Tararua District team in Manawatu Senior competition, were beaten 33-21 by Feilding Yellows in a Senior 2 match.

Results:

Ray White Premier (Maddison Trophy):

Napier Tech Old Boys 36 (Falealii Popoalii, Pevelise Faumuina, Damien Scott, Xavier Mccorkindale tries; penalty try; Sheridan Rangihuna penalty, 3 conversions) Hastings Rugby and Sports 34 (Ausage Fomai, Neria Fomai, John Palu, Jayden Rihia tries; Danny Toala 2 penalties, 4 conversions).

Central 19 (Siosiua Kaifa 2, Sam Cavanagh tries; Jordan Soli 2 conversions) MAC 14 (John Ika, Lexus Greening tries; Joshua Coward 2 conversions).

Taradale 44(Majella Tufuga 2, Nathan Ramsay, Flynn Allen, William Fonohema, Josh Eden-Whaitiri, Kusitino Savea tries; Trinity Spooner-Neera penalty, 3 conversions) Napier Old Boys Marist 37 (Josh Gimblett 2, Lee Moleli, Ioane Lauano, Boris van Bruchem tries; Bain Champion 2 penalties, 3 conversions).

Next Saturday’s draw (home teams first): Napier OBM v Central, MAC v Hastings R&S, Napier Tech OB v Taradale.

Points (after 2 of 5 rounds): Taradale 10, Napier Tech OB 8, Central 7, Napier OBM 7, MAC 2, Hastings R&S 2.

Division 1 (Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy)

Napier Pirate 29 (Patrick Nichol, Ryo Kikkawa, Al Momoisea, Jarryd Broughton, Hugh Taylor tries; Lincoln-Blake Bowman, Tipene Maxwell conversions) Clive 26 (Taranaki Hokianga, Liam Ave, Anthony Wilson, Aminiasi Koroi tries; Jayden Falcon 2, Tianua Poto conversions).

Havelock North 48 (Jesse Paewai 2, Reuben Allen, Kaihau Pasikala, Kees Brady, Tony Lamborn, Alex Philip tries; Tawhiri Gifford-Kara penalty, 4 conversions; Alex Philip conversion) Tamatea 17 (Saeseru Ratulailai, Te Paeru Makea-Karaitiana, Sawelio Macenalagi; Lincoln McClutchie conversion), Aotea bye.

Next Saturday’s draw (home teams first): Clive v Havelock North, Aotea v Napier Pirate, Tamatea bye.

Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): Hastings R&S 29 Bridge Pa 27, Napier OBM 29 Porangahau 23, Napier Pirate 36 Waipawa Country United 12, Otane 19 Napier TOB 14.

Division 2A: Taradale 27 Eskview 15, Central 13 Takapau 8.

Division 3 (Ron Parker Memorial Trophy): Maraenui 38 Napier Pirate 12, Clive 38 Taradale 21.

Division 3A: Napier OBM 26 Flaxmere 19, Tamatea 34 Havelock North 17.

Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Clive 65 Napier OBM 10, Hastings R&S 19 Havelock North 18, Taradale 24 Napier Pirate 22, Onga Tiko beat Napier TOB by default.