Whanganui's Cameron Crowley, left, takes the ball alongside double tryscorer Penijamini Nabainivalu in the NZ Heartland XV's hammering of Vanua XV in Taupo on Thursday. Photos by Getty Images
Whanganui's Cameron Crowley, left, takes the ball alongside double tryscorer Penijamini Nabainivalu in the NZ Heartland XV's hammering of Vanua XV in Taupo on Thursday. Photos by Getty Images
The New Zealand Heartland XV were away with a hiss and a roar in their first of their two end of season matches after a 60-0 destruction of the Vanua XV at Taupo's Owen Delaney Park on Thursday evening.
And Steelform Wanganui's players were right in the thick of it as all four of them started the match and contributed four of the nine tries scored, while fullback Craig Clare was also named one of the two vice-captains.
Cameron Crowley was on the wing, while Penijamini Nabainivalu was at centre and big Campbell Hart played at lock.
The New Zealand side was captained by No 8 Alex Bradley, the former Waikato and Chiefs players who was one of the heroes in Thames Valley's run to upset the odds and win the Meads Cup last weekend.
Bradley led the team haka and then turned in a barnstorming performance to score three tries.
Despite the blustery conditions and slippery surface, the Heartland XV's handling was good, as was their defensive effort against the Fijian team, which is understood to be made up of the best players from the second tier of club competition in the islands.
Second five-eighth Sione Holani (West Coast) stood out in the first half, with a scything run setting up halfback Willie Wright (South Canterbury) to run a great line to dot down under the posts for the second try.
Nabainivalu got his first try before halftime after he was on the end of a sweeping move down the right hand flank.
Buller's pinpoint first-five James Lash handled the goal kicking duties ahead of Clare, and added the conversion to make it 29-0 at halftime.
Lash would finish with a 15 point haul from six conversions and a penalty despite the difficult conditions.
Turning to face the wind, Heartland showed the willingness to defend and then grind their way back, with Bradley continuing his strong carries.
Nabainivalu got his double after a deft chip and chase landed the ball perfectly and he just had to fall over the try line.
Bradley got his hat trick after running a great angle on a big pass out wide and trotted under the posts, with new coach Craig Scanlon subbing him soon after as the bench ran on to give players a breather with their second match upcoming on Sunday.
From this point, reserve hooker Glen McIntyre (Thames Valley) burrowed in for a try off sustained attack, and then the other Wanganui players got in on the act.
Clare, who had organised play from the back all evening, ran in a try, which was followed by Hart also getting on the scoresheet.
Fullback Craig Clare takes the tackle at Owen Delaney Park.
The overall squad had been through a couple of changes with Thames Valley's regular captain Shaun Hill still not available after being knocked out in the Meads Cup semifinal with Wanganui, while Simon Lilicama (North Otago) and Nick Strachan (South Canterbury) also withdrew with injury.
Sam McCahon (Thames Valley), Willie Paia'aua (Horowhenua Kapiti) and Callum McDonald (Poverty Bay) joined the wider squad, with the Paiaua making the bench for Thursday night's game.
"We knew we were bringing a great group of rugby players together but it has been pleasing to see just how well they have bonded and taken on board what it is we want to achieve as a team," said Scanlon before kickoff.
"The goal is to not overload them and make sure they have the confidence to go out there and show why it is they deserve to be in this black jersey."
It is safe to say New Zealand Marist will make a more formidable challenge in Heartland's defence of the McCrae Cup on Sunday.
Heartland have made six consecutive defences of the Cup, however last year was a real thriller as Marist went out to a big lead before being over run 41-39 in Timaru.
Clare played at centre for that match and scored two tries.
The 2018 edition of the Marist team contains 20 players who come from Mitre 10 Cup unions, including the likes of Sione Tuipulotu (Counties) who has played Under 20's rugby for both Samoa and Tonga.
He and Ardmore Marist clubmates Savelio Ropati and Daymon Leasuasu have all been in the Steelers 2018 squad and form the loose forward trio for NZ Marist.
There are seven Hawke's Bay players in the team, coming from both the Napier Old Boys and Hastings R&S teams.
Kickoff is 2.30pm at Owen Delaney Park.
New Zealand Heartland XV (Alex Bradley 3, Peni Nabainivalu 2, Willie Wright, Glen McIntyre, Craig Clare, Campbell Hart tries; James Lash pen, 6 con) bt Vanua XV 0. HT: 29-0.
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There will be a couple of familiar faces for the Wanganui players in the NZ Heartland XV to meet when they take the field against New Zealand Marist on Sunday afternoon in Taupo.
Lock Sam Madams and reserve back Josiah Bogileka are representing Wanganui Marist in the team, and alongside fullback Zac Saunders (Timaru Celtic) they are the only players to come from Heartland unions, with the rest being from unions in the Mitre 10 Cup.
As well as being together in the Wanganui rep side, Madams is a Marist clubmate of Heartland's Cameron Crowley and Penijamini Nabainivalu.
He was supposed to play in this annual match last year for the Heartland XV, until being removed following a disagreement with then-coach Barry Matthews.
