Muriwhenua boys shine for NZ Maori

WINNERS: Penetaui Jones and Te Puhi Rudolph helped the New Zealand Maori Residential side beat an Auckland representative XIII in Taranaki over Queen's Birthday Weekend.

Muriwhenua's Te Puhi Rudolph and Penetaui Jones featured for the New Zealand Maori Residential side which overwhelmed an Auckland representative XIII in Taranaki over Queen's Birthday Weekend.

The game was the headline event at a festival of Maori rugby league featuring a number of senior and age grade games and involving 500 young players from around the country.

The NZ Maori came from behind to recorded a memorable win by 16-13 after scoring the match-winning try right on full time.

Both Jones (Ngati Kahu Sharks) and Rudolph (Pawarenga Broncos) are members of the Muriwhenua Origin rep team, selected of local players competing in the newly established Taitokerau Rugby League premiership.

Both are university students and visited Parihaka marae and a local kura kaupapa to meet with local whanau and encourage league participation over the long weekend.

"Obviously the game was a furious affair, but defeating Auckland was a great koha to our host in Taranaki," said Jones, adding that both he and Rudolph believed the Taranaki fixture was positive for sport and identity.

- Taitokerau Rugby League also sent a Muriwhenua rep side south to Taranaki to contest the under-17 age grade at the same event. At time of going to press, it was understood the side had played four matches (two 25-minute halves each) on day one, Saturday, where they suffered three losses (26-18 to Waikato, 24-16 to Bay of Plenty and 14-6 to Auckland Marist) and one win over Tuhoi by 18-16. See Thursday's edition for a more in-depth update.