Rugby: Waipu cash in on tough pre-season

Kamo halfback Mac Sykes goes for a darting run from the base of a ruck.

A pre-season training regime that included 17km runs up Langs Beach is starting to pay dividends for Waipu, much to the delight of their coach.

With the Bayleys Southern Districts Premiers Competition now finished its third round, Waipu are in a good position with two wins under their belt - placing them fourth on the points table.

New coach Mark Wells, who has just moved to the region from Auckland, said Friday night's 22-17 win over the Western Sharks was a tough one though.

"The game was played in atrocious wind," Wells told the Northern Advocate. "It was coming directly across the field which made passing and catching, and lineout throwing difficult ... it forced us to keep the ball in hand quite a bit. [But], two wins out of three isn't bad according to me."

He added that it was encouraging to see the signs of a hard pre-season campaign coming together, after Waipu had beaten Kamo 34-14 in the first round before losing 44-3 to Hora Hora in round two.

"The aim for start of season was to get as fit and well-conditioned. The boys put in the hard yards, with some were doing 16-17km runs up Langs Beach. They did a lot of hard of work.

"Even though they're not very big they show heart, that really showed in the last 15 minutes [of Friday night's game]. They were camped on our try line with scrum after scrum and they put in some big tackles."

Wells said players who deserved particular mention for their efforts, in a game which copped the early stages of Cyclone Lusi, were number eight Nick Murray, fullback Dan Mccully and hooker Sean Mccully.

"Nick Murray was player of the day for the forwards, and in the backs was fullback Daniel Mccully. He's so strong, he's very hard to bring down and he put us over the gain line time and time again.

"Dan's brother Sean Mccully, at hooker, came up with some big tackles in the last 15 minutes and held one up over the line too."

However, for Waipu, and Wells, the season is just beginning. Wells - who is originally from Counties Manukau and has trained with the Canterbury Crusaders and Counties Manukau teams as well as playing for the Pukekohe Seniors, Counties Manukau Under 19s, and Supermarines in the United Kingdom - said the play-offs is the goal for his side this season.

"Ideally we'd like to be in the final, but realistically for a team in their second season [in the premier competition] we'd like to be in the semis.

"It is a long season and it'll really test the depth of our squad - we need more players, we really need more players, but we'll just have to make do with what we've got."

For the Western Sharks, the close loss gives them their first point for the season as they sit winless after three games.

Results:

Southern Districts Premier Grade

Waipu 22 Western Sharks 17

Mid Western 15 Mid Northern 13

Hora Hora 17 Old Boys Marist 7

Wellsford 35 Hikurangi 0

Kamo 24 Otamatea 5

Southern Districts Premier Grade
Reserves

Western Sharks 34 Waipu 8

Mid Northern 28 Mid Western 5

Hora Hora 26 Old Boys Marist 20

Wellsford 12 Hikurangi 7

Kamo 27 Otamatea 3