Rugby: Aotea Seniors gain first win with romp over Clive in Dannevirke

Aotea’s No 10 Waka Petera midfield chips through and follows to set up a try against Clive at Dannevirke’s Rugby Park.

Pundits had forecast the Hawke’s Bay Rugby clash between premiers Clive and Aotea at Dannevirke’s Rugby Park on Saturday, May 10, could be close. Both teams had been decisively beaten in their games so far this season.

Two tries to Aotea in the first five minutes, both converted from the sideline by fullback Hoera Stephenson, quickly marked the hosts as favourites but Clive rallied and scored after a more competitive 20-minute spell to close the gap to 14-7.

Aotea's forwards punched holes in the Clive defence.

Shaken from their complacency, Aotea’s Waka Petera’s kicking exposed gaps in the Clive defence from which winger Sam Jones, with great speed and ball handling, capitalised to score four tries in the match, making him one of the top try scorers in the competition.

Nearly all of his tries were in the corner but Stephenson managed to convert them all to make the halftime score 42-7.

Aotea started the second half in the same fashion, going 49-7 up from the kickoff, but Clive had done their homework.

A proud Aotea team as the shadows start to cover Dannevirke’s Rugby Park.

The Clive pack matched their opponents for possession after the break and their midfield defence was more organised to make the second half an almost equal contest, with Aotea scoring four tries and Clive three in an exhibition of attacking rugby.

The final score was 61-24, Stephenson converting all but the last of Aotea’s nine tries.

Both coaches should come away from the match with some satisfaction, Jearrad Stephenson being able to see what his Aotea team can do with a full muster of players and Clive seeing what is possible after their second-half performance.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo journalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years, he has covered any community storytelling the good news about the district.