Two defaults marred today's round in Hawke's Bay's Tui Nash Cup premier club rugby competition.
Yesterday Central defaulted their playoff for ninth place against Clive at Farndon Park. Central officials told Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union's club development officer Gary Macdonald a high injury count contributed to the default.
At 10am today Tamatea defaulted their quarterfinal against defending champions Napier Old Boys Marist at Park Island.
Eleven of our regular 22 players are on our injured list. Among those are four of our six adequately trained frontrowers and we don't have a seconds team which we can pick from," Tamatea head coach Matt Marsh explained.
"It's the first time we've defaulted and it wasn't an easy decision. We put an SOS out and got no reply. We're not blessed with 10 frontrowers like our neighbours across the road," Marsh said referring to Hastings Rugby and Sports who have regularly played one of their props at No 8 this season.