Rugby: Magpies winger regains 15s mojo

Powerful Figure: Hastings Rugby and Sports No 8 Danya Tulou charges into the Clive defence today. Photo/Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby winger Mason Emerson is the first to admit he has struggled with the transition from sevens to 15s in recent weeks.

The New Zealand Sevens Development team representative who played in international tournaments in Malaysia last month returned to 15s form in style with a player-of-the-match performance for Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports as they secured second place in the Tui Nash Cup competition with a 38-25 victory against K9 Petfoods Clive in the feature round six match at Elwood Park today. Emerson, 21, scored two tries including an individual 78 metre effort, made some sound defensive reads and attacked the ball in the air with confidence.

"It was good to get back on the horse. Scoring tries is my job and it was good to have a brace. It was a good win for the boys because we were under the pump. Clive could have come back but we showed a bit of ticker to stick with it," Emerson said.

His team's scrummaging got better as the game progressed. Hastings also impressed with their offloads and defence in the second half. Flanker Warwick Slingsby impressed with his ability to force turnovers while powerful No 8 Danya Tulou and captain and prop Jason Long were also prominent in the winning pack. Halfback Jayden Rihia had his best game of the season and scored two tries.

Openside flanker Lucas Goodin was outstanding for Clive and deserved his three tries. He will be hard to leave out of the Magpies squad this season if he can maintain this form.
"While it was disappointing to lose we were pretty competitive and right there until the final minute," Clive head coach Blair Cross said.

"We struggled to execute and build phases. Hastings were good at the breakdown," he added.

NOBM 78 Tamatea 0

Unbeaten defending champions Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist again proved how hard they will be to dethrone with this walloping at Bill Mathewson Park.

Lock Ricky Hayes, blindside flanker Hannon Brighouse and frontrower Lau Ta'a were all key architects in the visitors dominant pack. Wingers Mitch Drew and Sami Lauano were thirsty for work in a backline well served by halfback Zac Donaldson who scored a hattrick.

NOBM head coach Craig Gowler was impressed with the manner in which his troops took their opportunities in the first half. He praised Tamatea for the strategies they adopted in the second half in an attempt to be more competitive after trailing 47-0 at halftime.

Havelock North 13 Central 6

Northfuels Central manager Ian Large had every right to toast his troops improvement after this loss at Anderson Park.

"We were unlucky to lose and missed opportunities cost us. Our smaller pack manned up well," Large said.

Blindside flanker Tomo Fogarty and No 8 Jason Cutbush were again inspirational in the Central pack. Halfback Tim Sciascia was the best of the visitors backs.

"The game was a dreary as the weather. It wasn't much for the spectators but the players enjoyed it. It was a typical Central Park-type encounter," Progressive Meats Havelock North manager Conrad Waitoa said.

The villagers second five-eighth Kalin Paewai shone with his cover defensive work in his return from injury. His twin brother Jesse Paewai was a busy winger and their cousin and halfback Isaac Paewai again distributed well.

Taradale 42 MAC 24

Carters Frame and Truss Taradale also displayed improvement with this victory on home turf.

"We had a lot better structures, more phase ball and we created more opportunities," Taradale club captain Stu Cruden said.

Flanker Jacob Baker was again lively in the Mighty Maroons pack. Lock Jordan Kupa, a son of former Magpie Hallum Kupa, impressed with his workrate and like flanker Kaleb Lewis, a son of former Magpie and East Coast rep Horace Lewis, got on the tryscorers' sheet.

Magpies midfielder Billy Ropiha was the best of the Taradale backs. MAC coach Anthony Morley heaped kudos on his winless team's improvement also and said it was only a lack of experience which saw them miss opportunities.

MAC locks Damien Menhennet and John Te Ngaio were full of enthusiasm and fullback Tom Iosefo was his usual enterprising self.

Technical 33 Pirate 12

Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical manager Cyril Whitburn described this Whitmore Park victory as a patchy one but said the hosts were happy to bank five points.

"Although we led 26-0 at halftime we were flat. We didn't get going in the second half as well as we should have ... the previous week's loss to NOBM could have had something to do with the flatness."

Flanker Isaiah Martin, hooker Tere Joel and lock Todd Cushing were busy at the coalface for Tech. Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports manager Charles Reid said the visitors lost a lot of ball and the Texans capitalised on their mistakes.

Prop Kelsey Miller led the Pirate pack by example. Hooker Kane Cargill-Isaacs and substitute lock Jesse King fed off Miller's passion.