Rugby: Hawks seek home win

There have been plenty of changes for the Otamatea Hawks over the past two years and their first win of 2012 last week is a sign they are beginning to pay dividends.

Premier team coach Tommy King feels that after making the difficult decision to go into the premier grade at the beginning of last year the club has slowly rebuilt itself from the ground up.

"It's taken a lot of work by a lot of people, there's been a new president, new committee, new sponsors and new players and the fresh blood has got the whole club pumping and that's paying off on the field now," he said.

After an abortive attempt at promotion in 2010 the club again struggled to get two teams on the field at the beginning of last season but slowly has built itself into a much healthier state.

"The strength of the club comes from its social aspect, it's not just about the rugby, you've got to get people wanting to be a part of the club community and that has been strong for most of the year," King said.

The PE teacher said it has become a foreign feeling to make a winning speech but he expects to get more practise at it in the weeks to come.

The club will welcome Marist to Kaiwaka on Monday hoping to follow up their first win of the season in Dargaville with a win at home.

"We were competitive against them in the first round although in the end they put some points on us but we'll be looking to turn that around this week," he said.

King said the narrow win over the Sharks was special because the two wins they recorded last season had been over teams that had been diluted by the loss of their representative players.

"We've been playing some exciting rugby and we've got a talented backline that's dangerous all over the park so we're pretty confident that we can give Marist - and any other team - a run for their money in the second round."

The Harding Shield takes precedent over club rugby on Saturday with plenty of interest on what is a virtual final between Whangarei and Bay of Islands in Kaikohe at 2.15pm.

The match is preceded by the Maunganui and Northern Wairoa match.

On Monday, Mid Northern host neighbours Hikurangi while competiton leaders Wellsford host an in-form Old Boys at Centennial Park.

Kamo have another big match when champions Mid Western visit the Kamo Rec, while it doesn't get any easier for the injury hit Western Sharks, when they travel to Hora Hora Park.