Rugby: Magpies defend Ranfurly Shield

Zac Guildford. Photo / Paul Taylor.

The Hawke's Bay Magpies have made their fifth successful defence of their current Ranfurly Shield era after dispatching Wairarapa-Bush 58-7 at McLean Park.

With no less than nine debutants, Hawke's Bay were understandably rusty in the first spell as Wairarapa-Bush gave it plenty, and were rewarded with a try to blindside flanker Brock Price. That came from a lackadaisical defensive play by wing Mason Emerson, a 2014 NZ Schools rep, who otherwise enjoyed a useful debut.

Fullback Zac Guildford was as busy as ever in his comeback game, scoring two tries, one a scorcher from 60m, and even showcased a nice grubber which almost yielded a try.

Shanan Chase was equally industrious on the left wing, scoring one and setting one up for debutant centre Jonah Lowe, younger brother of Magpies stalwart Karl Lowe, and another of the 2014 NZ Schools group.

Magpies halfback and captain Chris Eaton said there were some stern words at halftime, which helped them buck up their ideas.

"We were guilty of too many offloads. We just needed to keep on building phases, which we did in that second half, which was a lot better," he said, adding that most of the debutants acquitted themselves well, though none better than No 8 Joseph Penetito, who made several powerful carries into the teeth of the Wairarapa-Bush defence. Others to impress were second five Billy Ropiha, who scored and set up a try, first five Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald, who scored 21 points, and lock Sanaila Waqa.

Blues players Ihaia West and Brendon O'Connor came off the pine for the Magpies, while pock Trent Boswell-Wakefield led the aside out in his 50th game for the union.

Wairarapa-Bush captain and first five Tim Priest knows this was a good base from which to launch a far better Heartland Championship campaign than the 11th place they managed in 2014.

"We gave it all in the first 40 minutes and in the second 40 we fatigued. We missed those vital tackles and let them accumulate," said Priest.

This was Wairarapa-Bush's ninth Shield challenge since 1973, and first challenge against Hawke's Bay, but they have held the famous Log o' Wood thrice as Wairarapa, prior to the 1971 merger with Bush.

Hawke's Bay now faces Horowhenua-Kapiti in their next defence next Thursday.

Hawke's Bay 58 (Zac Guildford 2, Jarvy Aoake, Shanan Chase, Billy Ropiha, Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald, Brendon O'Connor, Jonah Lowe tries; Elkington-MacDonald 5 con, 2 pen, Ihaia West con) Wairarapa-Bush 7 (Brock Price try; Tim Priest con) Halftime: 17-7