Tuhirangi will be out to prove a point when they meet Puketoi in a Shannahan Cup senior seconds division rugby match at Pongaroa tomorrow.
The Pirinoa-based side started the season in senior reserves grade and racked up an impressive record before joining fellow senior reserves sides Martinborough B and Pioneer B and demoted premier division teams Rams, Marist and Puketoi in the senior seconds competition. Tuhirangi have beaten Pioneer B (55-0) and Martinborough (35-19), and lost to the Rams 16-27.
Tomorrow gives Tuhirangi the chance to secure their first win this season over one of the demoted premier division combinations but Puketoi will be formidable opposition. They have beaten Marist 41-0, Pioneer B by default, and lost to the unbeaten Rams 17-24 last weekend.
That Tuhirangi will match Puketoi on the score of endeavour cannot be questioned, as they have impressed with their workrate all season. But whether they will have the firepower up front to stop the feisty Puketoi pack from dominating the forward exchanges is debatable.
Other Shannahan Cup matches will see Pioneer B and Martinborough doing battle at Memorial Park No1 and Rams and Marist squaring off at Memorial Park No2, the latter game starting at 2.30pm.
