Waikato Club Rugby: Ōhaupō edge Hinuera to finish season on high

Ōhaupō players Josh Thomas (from left), Hayden Thomas, Roy Huggard, Akira Kitamura and Scott Thomas covered in mud after their 7-5 win against Hinuera. Photo / Jesse Wood

The Hinuera senior squads headed to Ōhaupō Memorial Park on Saturday to face Ōhaupō in the final matches of the 2024 Waikato club rugby season.

Both games were played in good spirits and plenty of mud.

The unbeaten Hinuera B were victorious against Ōhaupō B 27-7, a vast improvement from the earlier season clash that saw a 38-0 scoreline, while the Mooloo Shield match saw the home side edge a win 7-5.

Up 14-0 at halftime, Hinuera B were composed but Ōhaupō B weren’t going to roll over.

The second half saw the visitors add a penalty goal and two unconverted tries before veteran Ōhaupō B fullback Lance Elrick grabbed his ninth score of the season.

Dane Murphy added the two points off the tee from out wide to close the scoring.

In their centenary season, Hinuera B will host the Division 1B final against Putāruru B this weekend.

Ōhaupō B fullback Lance Erick scored his side's only try in their 27-7 loss to Hinuera B. Photo / Arthur Uden

Ōhaupō B finished the top-six premiership round in fifth place.

Lock Lachlan Dunn was awarded BurgerFuel MVP for the home team.

Elrick finishes the 2024 season as both top point (45) and try-scorer for Ōhaupō B.

Murphy follows closely behind on points with 40.

Ōhaupō B Points:

Tries: Lance Elrick.

Conversions: Dane Murphy.

The later Mooloo Shield match-up was a tight tussle in the wet conditions under the whistle of Glenn Foote.

Hinuera grabbed a try, but the unsuccessful conversion proved costly.

Ōhaupō winger Caleb Kennedy crossed the line for his sixth try of the season after some great work by halfback Scott Thomas.

Thomas added the conversion to put his side ahead.

Ōhaupō finish the premiership round in sixth place while Hinuera finish fourth after a very tight competition.

Ōhaupō winger Caleb Kennedy grabbed his side's only try in their 7-5 win over Hinuera. Photo / Arthur Uden

Co-captain Bronson Wilson-Beech was named BurgerFuel MVP in his blazer match for Ōhaupō – 50 senior caps – of which nearly all have been 80-minute performances.

“It was a big occasion for the club, with some key milestones and some people leaving at the end of the season, so we wanted to perform for them. Big congratulations to Bronson for bringing up his 50 games,” Ōhaupō co-captain Hayden Thomas said.

“It was very pleasing to have a close game go our way in very difficult conditions. We have let some big games slip through our fingertips over the last few weeks, so it was great to hang on for the win.

“It has been another great season for the team on and off the field. We will look to build on this next season and come back even stronger”.

Reed Watson finishes the 2024 season as the top point-scorer for the Ōhaupō A squad with 59 while wingers Roy Huggard and Kennedy are tied for top try scorer.

Putāruru and Suburbs will play for the Mooloo Shield at Nola Block on Saturday.

First-placed Putāruru will look to go back-to-back.

Ōhaupō Points:

Tries: Caleb Kennedy.

Conversions: Scott Thomas.

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined the Te Awamutu Courier and NZME in 2020.