RUGBY - Competition excitement builds after an inspired performance

More pieces of the Northland rugby jigsaw puzzle fall into place, adding excitement to the opening games of the second round in the Joe Morgan Memorial club rugby competition.
Returning former Bay of Plenty representative Dan Goodwin renewed his links with Northland when he made a second-half appearance for Marist on Saturday. Also, former North Harbour lock Marty Veale is about to arrive at Mid Western and join the representative training squad next week.
Veale, a strongman lock, last played for North Harbour three years ago, where he was a regular team mate in the Harbour ranks alongside current Northland prop Tony Coughlan. He has since been adding chapters to his playing career with stints in Japan and the United States.
Northland head coach Mark Anscombe is now flying to Wales as part of the New Zealand under-23 coaching staff, but Goodwin's arrival will be a welcome sight on his return, as will Veale's. Much of Northland's experience in the forward pack has gone overseas, with lock Brad Taylor, No.8 Jake Paringatai, hooker Tim Dow all opting out. The selectors are hoping Veale will add some size and much needed street-savvy to the pack.
In the meantime, the Joe Morgan Memorial title race is starting to get red hot with Hikurangi turning over competition favourites Marist 47-25 at Kensington Park, Mid Western coming close to causing a huge boilover against Wellsford before losing 29-10 and Mid Northern suddenly struggling with a truckload of injuries.
Mid Northern beat Waipu 32-0, but were unconvincing against the championship's weakest team.
They are still waiting for David Holwell to return to full fitness, are missing veteran Vaughan Going and have had talented midfielder Gray Roberts invalidated for the rest of the year.
But Hora Hora, who managed a 31-5 victory over the Western Sharks at Dargaville on Friday night, have snuck into top spot on the table and Kamo, 29-0 victors over Whangarei Old Boys on Saturday, are suddenly lingering close to the danger zone in the rankings.
But it was Hikurangi's magnificent first-half performance that has suddenly set the competition on a knife edge.
Hikurangi opened up with a furious volley that produced four tries in 20 minutes and a 32-3 lead, centre Damian Fakafanua and Waikato import Jared Payne the main destroyers in the backline.
Marist hit back thanks largely to the efforts of No.8 Tom Vainikolo, but were left in Hikurangi's wake as they scored four more tries in the second spell and never relinquished their stranglehold.
Even Hikurangi coach John Sanson was a bit surprised with the furious opening and a little puzzled when asked to explain the performance.
"I have no idea, maybe it was the weather, maybe it was just our day, whatever it was, I like it," Sanson said.
"Our backs just carved up right at the start and we managed to scored a couple of very good tries. Marist came back though, it looked a bit dicey for a while there, but we did quite well to keep the pressure on," he said.
Mid Western coach Steve Carter is getting a bit impatient waiting for Veale to turn up, but almost managed to conjure up an unlikely victory over Wellsford anyway.
Wellsford were ahead 10-3 at halftime but Mid Western hit back with a try to Matt Hansen in the second half and drew level. It looked like Carter's lads were fired up for a big one, but they conceded two late tries to hand the impetus back to Wellsford.
Kamo's effort was entirely unconvincing against Old Boys, even with Super 14 star Justin Collins making an unexpected appearance at centre.
Led in fine style by veteran prop Donny Rudolph, Old Boys showed resilience and flashes of enterprise, but were ultimately undone by the arrival off the bench of second five-eighths Danny Trig, who scored twice in the closing stages.
Another round of club games will be played this afternoon. Kamo host the Sharks, Mid Northern heads to Wellsford, Hikurangi meet Mid Western, Hora Hora play Marist.
Waipu and Old Boys clash in a bottom-of-the-table wrestle.
* RESULTS - JOE MORGAN MEMORIAL
Premier: Hikurangi 47 (Glenn Martin 3, Jared Payne 2, Damien Fakafanua 2, James Keene tries; Josh Edmonds pen, 2 cons), Marist 25 (Kameli Delani 2, Ioane Fataua, Tony Coughlan tries; Luke Muggeridge pen, con).
Prem Reserves: 39-5 Marist Hora Hora 31 (Blair Urlich 2, Logan Wendt, Joe Te Puni, Leon Baigent tries; Baigent 3 cons), Western Sharks 5 (Tony TePaa try)
Prem Reserves: 19-3 Sharks Mid Northern 32 (Clint Going, Colin Cooper 2, Davion Young, Jershon Witehira tries; Buster Taihere pen, 2 cons), Waipu 0.
Prem Reserves: 43-0 Mid Northern Kamo 29 (Jared Mckenzie, Roy Griffin, Danny Trigg 2, Mike Davis tries; Matt Buckley 2 cons), Old Boys 0.
Prem Reserves: 15-12 Kamo Wellsford 29 (Eroni Endolo 2, Ross Wright, Josh Corbett, Leo Taliu tries; Johnny MoiMoi 2 cons), Mid Western 10 (Matt Hansen try; Brooke Gilmore pen, con).
Prem reserves: 65-0 Wellsford.
UNDER-18: Eastern 25 (Jordan Karena, Tyler Hamilton, Ray Thompson, Hemana Wicklifee tries; Karena pen, con), Kamo 14 (Ben Burridge try; Cam causer 3 pens); Moerewa 17, Otamatea 10 (Gray Lewis, Ari Spyksma tries; Kamo High 34 (Ben Pekama, Tyler Landsdowne, Lote Chandler tries; Landsdowne 5 pens, 2 cons), Marist Old Boys 17; WBHS 16 (Myles Tawha, Michael Davys tries; Dean Wallace 2 pens), Awanui 5 (Rawiri Paparoa try).
POINTS:
Premier: Hora Hora 40, Marist 39, Mid Northern 38, Hikurangi 36, Wellsford 36, Kamo 32, Sharks 15, Mid Western 11, Waipu 5, Old Boys 0.
Premier reserves: Wellsford 44, Mid Northern 42, Marist 37, Hora Hora 35, Western Sharks 27, Kamo 23, Hikurangi 19, Waipu 14, Whg Old Boys 3, Mid Western 2.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
Division Two: City 22, Eastern Suburbs 3; Mangakahia 31, Whangaruru 12; Tikipunga 40, Otamatea 21; Pipiwai 39, Waimarie 0.
Division Three: Kaihu Valley 14, Tomarata 13; Ruawai 26, Dargaville Old Boys 0.
MANGONUI: Motokohu 46, Kaitaia Pirates 5; Te Rarawa 15, Te Aupouri 7; Waipapakauri 13, Eastern United 7.