Napier Tech OB centre Falealii Popoalii scores one of his two tries in his side's crucial win over Taradale in Hawke's Bay Premier club rugby on Saturday. Photo / Ian Cooper
Napier Tech OB centre Falealii Popoalii scores one of his two tries in his side's crucial win over Taradale in Hawke's Bay Premier club rugby on Saturday. Photo / Ian Cooper
Napier Tech Old Boys moved a big step closer to a successful defence of Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby’s first-round prize, the Nash Cup, and avenged their only loss in the last two seasons when they beat Taradale 34-14 in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.
With both sides unbeaten - from five wins each and a bye - Tech made light of the away-game designation of the Round 7 clash and scored five tries to two, with supporters among one of the larger crowds at Tareha Reserve baying for some atonement for last year’s only loss, an extra-time demise as Taradale won the Maddison Trophy championship final for a second year in a row.
Saturday’s win gave the Red Devils from across town a one-win buffer at the top of the ladder in the round-robin competition, albeit with Top 6 hopefuls MAC and Central, each with just two losses, to beat in the next fortnight.
Looking prepared and ready for action from the time the season started on March 25, and with a growing reputation for a team bond, Tech scored first, with the first of two tries to possibly Magpies-bound Falealii Popoalii in the centres.
They led 24-14 at halftime and made the better use of options after that, scoring the only points of the second half.
Napier Tech Old Boys first five-eighths Sheridan Rangihuna displaying his playmaking experience in his side's 34-14 win at Taradale. Photo / Ian Cooper
The backs were as ever well directed by first five-eighths Sheridan Rangihuna, who provided opportunities for those outside him, including Bethel Malasia and fullback Tamati Samuels, who each also got onto the score sheet.
No 8 Xavier McCorkindale scored the other try in what was another man-of-the-match performance and a display of continuing hunger for the try line, after scoring twice in the previous weekend’s win over Napier Pirate and once on Anzac Day for the Hawke’s Bay Saracens when beaten 42-10 by the Manawatū Evergreens at Rongotea, near Palmerston North.
Among those to impress for Taradale was lock Angela Mufasa, who scored one of his side’s tries.
Taradale lock Angelo Mufana, claiming the lineout ball, also claimed one of his side's two tries. Photo / Ian Cooper
Flaxmere-based MAC provided the big surprise when they travelled to Napier to land a 77th-minute penalty to beat Napier Old Boys Marist 31-29 - a rare Tremain Field win for MAC, maintaining their place in the Top 6, but leaving fourth-placed Old Boys wondering if they can secure their championship-round place with just three games left, and the bye in the last weekend before the cut.
On form they should win next Saturday against Tamatea, which had Saturday’s bye, but it’ll be tougher on a trip to Dannevirke to play Aotea, and then a face-off with arch-rivals Taradale.
MAC led 14-5 in the first half, and ultimately it was first five-eighths and Saracens player Joshua Coward who won the game with conversions of all four tries and the crucial penalty goal from close range.
Old Boys scored five tries, one to first five Jonty Stewart, who landed just two of five conversion attempts.
Waipukurau club Central reached an almost unprecedented high for the club with 11 tries in a 71-5 win over Clive.
Central first five-eighths Jordan Soli scored one of the tries and kicked eight conversions, remaining the competition’s top points-scorer with 86 in seven games, while No 8 Josh Kaifa and halfback Tom Beachen each scored twice.
The win placed Central second on the Premier table, with the bye next Saturday. Having scored 68 in the previous weekend’s win over Tamatea, Central have become the first side to pass 300 points in Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby this season.
Saturday’s match was the feature of a Central Hawke’s Bay clubs day at headquarters Central Park, also featuring two Division 2 Country matches, a women’s match and a friendly between Division 2 side Pōrangahau (on a bye) and Dannevirke Sports, which put together a team despite being unable to field a side in the Manawatū competition this season.
In other matches, Napier Pirate had a 40-33 home win against Aotea at Tamatea Park, Napier, while Hastings Rugby and Sports were made to work for a 38-27 home win over Havelock North at Elwood Park, at one stage down 22-3.
The most travelling team in the competition, Aotea almost called for a late start with a bus breakdown on the Takapau Plains en route from Dannevirke, a problem which was resolved with the commandeering of the bus used for the Dannevirke Sports club’s trip to Waipukurau.
Pirate, scoring six tries in moving a step closer to a Maddison Trophy round berth, led 35-14 about 10 minutes into the second half, but Aotea then stepped-up to score three more tries in a match players and spectators agreed was one of the more enjoyable and entertaining of this season.
Prop Jarryd Broughton scored twice for Pirate, while among his side’s other try-scorers was fullback and Japanese import Ryo Kikkawa, who also kicked five conversions, to move quickly to 24 points in two games.
Aotea wing Sam Jones scored two more tries to remain the top try-scorer in the competition, now with 10 to date, including five when his side opened the season with a win over Tamatea in Hastings.
In other senior matches Napier OBM remained unbeaten in Division 2 rugby with a 31-27 win over Tamatea at Park Island, while at nearby Tamatea Park the Clive team known as “The Movement” was beaten 40-17 by Napier Pirate, Clive’s first loss in Division 3 in the two years since a one-point defeat in the grade’s 2021 first round final.
Clive and Hastings R&S set-up the season’s first final, with wins in Saturday’s Colts first-round semifinals, and Clive and Hastings R&S won the two women’s games, Clive leading the competition but yet to have the bye, and Hastings claiming maximum points in each of their first two games.
Central 71 (Tom Beachen 2, Josh Kaifa 2, Rhys Hardwidge, Kaliova Mocetadra, Joseph Elisha, Karl Lepelaars, Tom Parsons, George Macpherson, Jordan Soli tries; Soli 8 conversions) Clive 5 (Antony Wilson try).
