St Johns Whanganui Metro are set up for a home semifinal. Photo / NZME
St Johns Whanganui Metro are set up for a home semifinal. Photo / NZME
St Johns Whanganui Metro sit top of the MRU Colts championship group with a game in hand on their chasers after sweeping their pool games with rivals Feilding Yellows on Saturday.
Finalists for the past two seasons, swapping title wins, both Metro and the Yellows had lost early ground in 2022 to three of the other MRU Colts clubs, finishing the opening round in fourth and fifth respectively, when the nine-team grade split in half.
But since then both sides have been getting payback wins, so Metro coming off the bye to travel to Johnston Park and secure a 31-17 victory on Saturday is setting them up for a home semifinal.
"Yellows have come into the Top 5 firing – beat two of the top teams," said coach Mark Cosford.
Metro led early 10-0 before Feilding, looking to payback their 38-22 loss in late May, began to get territory and possession, taking a 12-10 lead into halftime.
However, their big forward pack was now nearly spent coming into the second stanza.
"The boys come out of the blocks really well," said Cosford.
"[Feilding] were totally gassed after the first 10 minutes. As soon as they dropped the ball, we were off."
Metro scored three converted tries to a sole five-pointer in reply to move to the top of the table on differential with a game in hand on Feilding and this weekend's opponent College Old Boys RFC.
"College Old Boys gave us a lesson in the first round [48-29], albeit because we had all our injuries," said Cosford.
"It's the telling factor to see if we can pull one back on them."
Against Feilding, halfback Jerome McKenna scored a double, while prop Brandon Burberry and industrious flanker Isaac Jordan also dotted down.
With his family brethren celebrating Ali Arc Logistics-TD Brick & Blocks Marist Celtic's win in the WRFU Senior Division 1 final back in Whanganui, young second-five Akiwa Koro turned in a player-of-the-day performance with a try and three conversions.
Metro travel to Ongley Park to meet College Old Boys on Saturday, kickoff 12.45pm.
Harry Godfrey and Adam Lennox were part of the NZ under-20 squad that won the Oceania Championship. Photo / Supplied
Around the grounds
NZ UNDER-20: It was all smiles for the former Whanganui Collegiate XV first-five/halfback combination of Harry Godfrey and Adam Lennox on the Sunshine Coast last week. Godfrey (Hurricanes) and Lennox (Chiefs) were part of the NZ under-20 squad that won the Oceania Championship. They defeated Australia 69-12 in the final. New Zealand beat Fiji 74-5 and Argentina 32-9 in their other matches.
UNDER-14: The Whanganui under-14 representative team went into camp in Taupo this week, under coach Robbie Clark. The squad is: Lyric Pompey-Tepu, Te Orangi Te Riaki, Steelie Hammond, Dayton Muru-Albert, Tuharakia Wallace-Mcleod, Christopher Winter, William Waitokia, Shaun Langdon, Trevaan Marino, Crighton Johnson, Jahkobe Ahhoi, Scott Hughes, Mac O'Conner, Thornton Humphrey, Ben Karatau, Parley Clarke, Jack Amon, Rhymez Ashby-Pumipi, Lemahn Lambert, Nga Wairiki Turia, Vetaia Kuruyabaki, Caleb Houlahan. Shadow players: Amos Heron, Ricky Winterburn, Sam Kelly, Darius Mow, Zahrik Gribble, Te Mauri Hina, Kya Te Huia.
CAMERON: Former one-test All Black and Cullinane College old boy Brett Cameron will resume his New Zealand rugby career with the Manawatu Turbos for the coming 2022 Bunnings NPC campaign. First-five Cameron spent the first part of the year with the Kamaishi Seawaves in Japan before coming home to Whanganui. He played for the Turbos last year after transferring from Canterbury.
