RUGBY - Hora Hora win thriller

The injection of loose forwards Jake Paringatai and Blair Urlich helped Hora Hora score an upset win over championship favourites Mid Northern in a brutal Joe Morgan Memorial premier club rugby game at Hukerenui on Saturday.
Hora Hora won 24-20, sealing the win with a try in the last minutes of a hectic game to end Mid Northern's unbeaten run on home turf, a succession of victories that extended right back to the middle of last year.
But it was the unexpected arrival of Paringatai, the Northland and NZ Maori representative, and Urlich, former Blues and North Harbour player, that made the difference.
Paringatai announced his return to the Northland club rugby scene with a fearsome hit on his provincial team mate David Holwell then proceeded to dominate the game with a raw mix of power and aggression in the No.6 jersey.
Urlich added some fine touches at No.8, a factor that gave Hora Hora just enough to topple the highly rated Mid Northern outfit.
But it took some doing, as Holwell masterminded a Mid Northern resurgence that almost snatched a victory in the final moments of the game. Holwell scored a try and kicked two penalty goals to put Mid Northern in front, 20-17, after they were down and out trailing 7-17, 15 minutes into the second spell.
It was quite a comeback as Mid Northern lost hooker Tyler Ashworth when he was red-carded having already rejigged their forward pack when lock Kira Taihere limped off.
But just when it looked like Mid Northern had fended off the challenge, Hora Hora flanker Jared Posthumus dotted down from a lineout drive and sealed the win.
The result caused quite a reshuffle in the championship standings too, with Marist shooting to top position after swamping the Western Sharks 34-7 and Mid Northern losing their top of the table ranking and slipping to third behind Hora Hora.
It has also closed the gap to just seven points between first place and seventh.
Wellsford now hold fourth spot after they dismissed Old Boys 36-7 with Kamo grimly holding on to fifth after they scraped home 8-3 over Mid Western.
Waipu's 44-12 loss to Hikurangi means they are rooted at the bottom of the table with two winless teams, Mid Western and Old Boys.
But the team most likely to cause trouble to the front runners will be the Sharks after they questioned Marist with a mix of forward power and backline enterprise on Friday night.
The Sharks are getting better and are poised to stage a late run for semifinal glory if they can keep their topline players injury free.
Hora Hora's win will breathe new life into the contest. Matching Mid Northern in the tight, Hora Hora produced some eyecatching backline play with player-coach Mark Seymour and centre Warren Dunn the main contributors.
NEXT WEEK: Mid Western v Marist; Mid Northern v Western Sharks; Waipu v Kamo; Wellsford v Hora Hora; Old Boys v Hikurangi.
RESULTS: JOE MORGAN MEMORIAL Premier Marist 34 (Tavita Jurgenson, tavita latu, Kemali Delana 2 tries; Luke Muggeridge pen, con, Hayden Hutchinson con),Western Sharks 7 (Scott McDermott try; Jamie Kay con). H/T: 10-7 Marist. Prem reserves: 15-3 Marist.
Wellsford 36 (John Cocker, leo Taliu, Junior Gnadolo, Rene Ranger, Tao Sakurua, Peter Morrison tries; Regan Haynes, Sakurua 2 cons), Old Boys 7 (Shaun Rogers try; Gavin Shirley con). H/T: 15-7 Wellsford. Prem reserves: 60-0 Marist.
Hora Hora 24 (Sam Posthumus, Warren Dunn, Jake Paringatai, James Wati tries; Joe Te Puni 2 cons), Mid Northern 20 (Bo Haika, David Holwell triues; Holwell 2 pens, 2 cons). H/T: 12-7 Hora Hora. Prem reserves: 20-17 Hora Hora.
Kamo 8 (Graham Beattie try; Matt Buckley pen), Mid Western 3 (Jason Morgan pen). H/T: 3-0 Kamo. Prem reserves: 41-0 Kamo.
Hikurangi 44 (henry Foy, Maurice Cooper 2, jared Payne, Damian Fakafanua 3 tries; Josh Edmonds pen, 3 cons),Waipu 12 (Toby Phillips, Regan Edwards tries. Phillips con). H/T: 20-0. Prem reserves: 18-10 Waipu.
POINTS: Premier: Marist 19, Hora Hora 17, Mid Northern 16, Wellsford 15, Kamo 12, Hikurangi 11, Sharks 6, Waipu 4, Mid Western 0, Whg Old Boys 0.
Premier Reserves: Marist 18, Mid Northern 16, Wellsford 15 Hora Hora 14, Kamo 11, Sharks 10, Waipu 9, Hikurangi 4, Whg Old Boys 0, Mid Western 0.
NORTHLAND UNDER-18
Otamatea 23 (Tyrell Jenyns, Dean Kingi, Luke Wiseman tries; Matt McCabe 2 pens, con), Kamo High 22 (Max Sykes, Lotu Chandler, Tai Davis, Hugh McCaw tries; Tyler Landsdowne con).
Kerikeri 17 (Michael Cook, Ben Cottle,; Michael Cook 2 pens, con), Kamo 5 (Steve Sanson try).
Awanui 34 (Pera Wihongi 3, Brody Maron, Colin Mills 2 tries; Don Henry 2 cons), Southern 5.
Eastern-Waipapakauri 15 (Tyler Hamilton, Hemana Wickliffe, Dan Waru tries), Marist-Old Boys 3 (Malakai Miller pen).
POINTS: Awanui 15, Moerewa 13, Otamatea 9, Eastern 9, Kerikeri 9, Kamo High 7, WBHS 6, Kamo 4, Southern 0, Old Boys-Marist 0.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS Division Two
City 35, Otamatea 26.
Tikupunga 40, Pipiwai 0.
Whangaruru 42, Eastern Suburbs 5.
Mangakahia 69, Waimarie 0.
DIVISION THREE
Southern 19, Tomarata 3.
Ruawai 31, Kaihu Valley 0.
BAY OF ISLANDS.
Okaihau-Kaikohe 108, Otiria 0.
Kerikeri 41, Kaeo 10.
Moerewa 31, Ohaeawai 7.
Sth Hokianga b United Kawakawa by default.
MANGONUI.
Motukohu 8, Awanui 3.
Te Rarawa 14, Waipapakauri 11.
Te Aupouri 31, Kaitaia Pirates 15.