Horowhenua-Kāpiti halfback Jack Tatu-Robertsson was scratched from joining the team's line-up on the morning of the Poverty Bay game due to illness.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti halfback Jack Tatu-Robertsson was scratched from joining the team's line-up on the morning of the Poverty Bay game due to illness.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti’s quest to stay in the hunt for Heartland competition playoff spot struck quicksand in the opening seconds of their match against Poverty Bay at Levin Domain at the weekend.
Not only did they concede an early try, in-form No. 8 Callum Watts-Pointer suffered a serious ankle injury and had to be helped from the field, adding to a raft of last-minute changes to the team.
Poverty Bay No. 8 Stuart Leach - the man with arguably the best hairstyle in New Zealand rugby - found the tryline in the first minute of the game.
Poverty Bay No. 8 Stuart Leach scored an early try at Levin Domain.
When his try was converted by fullback Ricardo Patricio - the man with possibly the best name in New Zealand rugby - eyes turned to Watts-Pointer, and it quickly became obvious he wouldn’t be returning to the field.
When Patricio added a penalty for Poverty Bay soon after, the visitors were out to an early 10-0 lead.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti got on the scoreboard with a penalty to first five-eighths Aidan Champion to keep the home team within touch, and with early scrum ascendancy, there was plenty to cheer about.
But when Poverty Bay prop Jarryd Broughton - one of the biggest men in New Zealand rugby - used his power to score before halftime, it gave the visitors another buffer, and blindside flanker Keanu Lundon also went over soon after.
Every time Horowhenua-Kāpiti looked to gain momentum, Poverty Bay would score points, particularly on the back of movements out wide. The visitors’ outside back quartet of Patricio, Bosca Tikicidre, Taine Aupouri and Moses Christie had a good day out.
HK fullback Leighton Ralph has shown a good nose for the tryline all season, and he scored again and converted his own try to bring the score to 20-10.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti centre Regan Verney makes a second-half break against Poverty Bay at Levin Domain.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti loose forward Kolonio Koto barged over but was judged to be held up in goal, but winger Willie Paua-aia managed to score a few moments later, and the margin between the two teams was just three points at 20-17.
But it was all Poverty Bat thereafter, with Patricio scoring a try and adding two penalties.
Aside from the early injury to Watts-Pointer, there were last-minute hiccups for the home team before the whistle blew.
Both halfback and goal-kicker Jack Tatu-Robertsson and in-form winger Connor Paki were forced to withdraw from the match late in the piece, forcing coaching staff to reshuffle the bench, and a call had to be sent out to Rāhui loose forward Joel Winterburn.
Winterburn hadn’t played since the club rugby final almost two months ago, but didn’t hesitate to grab his boots and head to the ground and take a spot on the bench. Josh Rauhihi stepped up for Tatu-Robertsson, and Sean Pape came into the starting line-up for Paki.
Coach Aleni Feagaiga wasn’t too despondent considering the adversity his side had faced with regard to injury and unavailability, and was philosophical about the result and the season so far.
“It is what it is,” he said.
“We’ve got a young team and have blooded 18 players this season - 18 players have made their Heartland debut. They would have learnt a lot.”
Umbrellas were in vogue on the sideline at Levin Domain.
The Levin Domain ground again paraded in perfect order, even accounting for the persistent rain that fell the night before and during the match.
The ground draws praise from every visiting team and is a credit to the curators.
Thomas Zimmerman and Brendon and Anothony Hazel braved the rain at Levin Domain to fulfil their ball boy duties.
Meanwhile, Horowhenua-Kāpiti were left ruing a lack of bonus points in what has proven to be a log-jam of teams in the bottom tier of the competition.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti are one of five teams to have won two of their seven matches, but find themselves at the bottom of the table when taking into account bonus points accrued and the points for and against differential.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti travel to Cooks Gardens to play Whanganui over the weekend in what is expected to be tough match considering Whanganui sit second on the ladder and would want to secure a Meads Cup home semifinal.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti would be out to secure a bonus point to give themselves a chance of dodging the wooden spoon, although their running mate in that race, King Country, have a far easier prospect as they play the lesser-fancied Buller.
SCOREBOARD: Poverty Bay 31 (S Leach, J Broughton, K Taumata, R Patricio tries, R Patricio con, 3 pen) Horowhenua-Kāpiti (L Ralph, W Paia’aua try, A Champion pen, 2 con).
