FAR NORTH RUGBY: Desperate plea for more rep games

Mangonui sub-unions more than accounted for themselves in their only representative fixture of the year despite being beaten 29-13 at Tolaga Bay by second division East Coast Ngati Porou.
``I don't think our guys did too badly, and we really didn't have our first choice players with us for the game,' said co-coach Andrew Morrogh from the Te Rarawa Club.
``We were down 12-0 at halftime, but our guys were more than holding their own against them.
``Unfortunately Murray Blithe (Pirates lock forward) broke his leg in the first half and up until that stage he was pretty much the dominant player in our forward pack.'
Morrogh said the match was a wake-up call in terms of lifting standards at club level in the Far North.
``They started really fast and had all the first half points in the first 15 minutes; they were in pretty impressive form for a pre-season game.
``But once our guys got into the game, we weren't too far off it. Our problem is we didn't finish off as well as we could have.'
He says, however, the match has left the Mangonui sub-unions wondering where too from here in terms of representative rugby.
``When you look at the Under-18 semifinals and you see three teams from north of Kawakawa you can see where the dominance is in the junior grades. Yet we have no representative football being provided for us by the Northland union.
``We've asked time and time again to do something so our guys can get rep football _ they just don't seem to care about us up here.'
He says Gavin Clarke, who shifted from Te Rarawa to Awanui in order to play in the Northland-wide competition last year, was the only player to represent the Far North last year.
``And at that too he only got a few minutes before they brought in their Aussie import. What kind of message is that for our players who want to play more than club rugby?' Morrogh asked.
For Mangonui Awanui pivot Jeremy White scored a converted try and kicked two penalties.
Meanwhile in the Bay of Islands Sub-union matches Kerikeri wrested the Homestead Cup off United Kawakawa 26-21 after trailing 6-21 at halftime.
Kaeo finally put behind the horrors of a flood and burglary to take the field at home and celebrate in style with a 29-7 win over Okaihau/Kaikohe and had the game pretty much sewn up at halftime when they led 22-0. In the other game Ohaeawai thumped young Otiria 51-3 after leading 31-3 at the break.