Rugby: Penitito's powerful display a standout

Substitute halfback Jonathan Ruru takes on the Manawatu Evergreens defence during a polished display off the pine. Photo / Duncan Brown

Saracens 28 Evergreens 19 Waipukurau

Hawke's Saracens No8 Joseph Penitito headed home for some family prayers as part of his 21st birthday celebrations last night.

"Hopefully the family have got a birthday cake for me too," Penitito said after a quality 65 minutes in the Saracens 28-19 win against the Manawatu Evergreens at Waipukurau's Central Park.

The humble Penitito will no doubt thank the powerful bloke for his contribution to his display before tucking into a slice or two. His powerful carries were matched with superb positional play and solid defensive work.

"It was a lot better this year than the Magpies trial 12 months ago here at Central Park. Last year I was called up the day before ... this year I had the benefit of having spent six months with the wider training group so I had more knowledge of the game plan.

"I also had the advantage of completing a lot of Dearnsey's fitness programmes," Penitito explained.

"Hopefully I can continue this work and get some game time in those early Ranfurly Shield defences," he added.

He was one of several potential fringe Magpies to put their hands up in a cohesive dominant display from the hosts. Winger Mason Emerson, who scored a cracker of an individual solo try, halfback Jonathan Ruru, prop Jarvy Aoake and hooker Jorian Tangaere were others. Ruru's service was slick, Aoake, who played the first 65 minutes after being promoted as a late replacement for Mark Braidwood, had a lot to do with the Saracens superior scrum and Tangaere's lineout throwing got a huge tick from Magpies head coach Craig Philpott.

"We're going to have a lot of good selection headaches as we get close to that July 9 Ranfurly Shield defence against Wairarapa Bush," Philpott said.

"We lost a bit of structure during the final 15 to 20 minutes but we had made a lot of changes by then," Philpott said.

Regular Magpies loosie Trent Boswell-Wakefield proved he will handle a switch to the locking position with ease if required come ITM Cup time. His lineout work and physicality in the tight couldn't be faulted.

Promising lock Sanaila Waqa also impressed with his work rate but bombed a try when he lost the ball forward while carrying the ball with one hand. You get away with that at club level young fellah but not at rep level and particularly on a cold Central Hawke's Bay night.

The Evergreens were disappointing. They trailed 28-12 until experienced hooker Rob Foreman crashed over for a last minute consolation try.

Their scrum offered little resistance to the Bay's, they conceded soft turnovers, lacked combinations in the backs and far too often struggled to string phases together.

Hawke's Bay age group product and former Baby Blacks prop Tim Cadwallader scored the visitors first try. Another Taradale age group product, Wiremu Cottrell, had a baptism of fire at this level propping against Hurricane Tolu Fahamokioa.

Former Magpies lock Tom Parsons was solid for the Evergreens and replacement first five-eighth Ben Wyness lively.

Scorers: Hawke's Bay Saracens 28 (Ellery Wilson, Tony Lamborn, Mason Emerson, Jonah Lowe tries; J'ndre Liebenberg 3, Tianua Poto cons), Manawatu Evergreens 19 (Tim Cadwallader, Rob Foreman, Ben Wyness tries; Wyness 2 cons). HT: 21-5.