The class of mighty maroons Taradale forged a win against defending champions Napier Tech Old Boys 22-12 in the first round of the Bayleys Commercial Maddison Trophy Hawke’s Bay Premier Rugby Championship on Saturday.
In front of a crowd of over 1000 at Tech home ground Whitmore Park, Napier – with nine wins behind them in winning unbeaten the first-round trophy the Nash Cup – Taradale went up 10-0 after 20 minutes with tries to centre Nick Biss and flanker Joshua Eden-Whaitiri.
But Tech struck back with a try to prop Tim Farrell and then, perhaps sniffing revenge after being beaten 37-12 by Taradale in early April, took the lead on halftime with a try to fullback Sam Kanthavong, converted by first five-eighths, former Otago Highlanders and Hawke’s Bay Magpies star Richard Buckman, two days before his 35th birthday.
Referee Nick Hogan had barely finished blowing the whistle to start the second half when Taradale hooker Dylan Gallien scored the third of Taradale’s 10th bag of four tries or more in 10 games to regain a lead to which first five-eighths Trinity Spooner-Neera added a try and conversion six minutes later, ultimately the last points of the game.
In the other matches, Napier Old Boys Marist won the battle of Tamatea Park with a 46-31 win over Napier Pirate, while in Hastings home-ground side Hastings Rugby and Sports drew 21-21 with Havelock North at Elwood Park.
OBM bolted out of the blocks with a penalty goal to first five-eighths Jonty Stewart and a try to centre Kere Penitito, converted by Stewart to lead 10-0 after just six minutes, but within just another eight minutes the Pirates led 12-10, with tries to wing Vilikesa Waqanituva and fullback Andrew Tauatevalu and a conversion to first five-eighths Sheridan Rangihuna.
The greens took charge with three more first half tries, with a converted try response from the Pirates, to make it 31-19 at halftime, and each side scored two tries in the second half, including Penetito’s second three minutes before referee Dan Waenga blew the final whistle. Penitito heads the competition trysoring with 13 in Nash Cup and Maddison Trophy rugby.
Havelock took the early initiative with two penalty goals to lead 6-0, but with the only first-half try, to centre Isaac Hinton, Hastings led 10-6 at the break. Havelock North regained the lead with a converted try in the first four minutes after halftime, but lost the momentum after referee Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri sent a player for 10 minutes in the sinbin, during which Hastings first five-eighths Oscar Sowman kicked two penalties.
When wing Patrick Lilo-Iosefo scored with 18 minutes to go Hastings led 21-13, but Havelock North came back with a penalty and a try to set-up a hectic last 10 minutes with neither side able to score again. Will Cole completed the game with 16 points and the rare distinction of scoring in all four ways – a try, two penalty goals, a drop goal, and a conversion.
In Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy matches, effectively a Premier second division, Clive managed their first win of the season after nine Nash Cup losses, with a 29-24 home victory at Farndon Park over brother club Tamatea, who managed two bonus points, for getting four tries and getting within seven points in the first stage of a comeback promoted after being relegated from Premier rugby at the end of last season.
Tamatea led 12-10 at halftime, and staged after being well out of the game for much of the second half staged a late fightback with the last 10 points of the game, in the last eight minutes.
Bridge Pa, in their debut at the level, were beaten 62-12 by MAC at Flaxmere Park, with wing Elia Bari scoring three tries, to go to 12 for the season. Central had a 29-20 win over Dannevirke side Aotea in the country teams derby at Central Park, Waipukurau.
Hastings’ Sowman heads the race to be the first to score 100 points for the season, with 94, closely followed by Central’s Jordan Soli, whose 12 points took him to 91.
Results:
Premier (Maddison Trophy):
Taradale 22 (Nick Biss, Joshua Eden-Whaitiri, Dylan Gallien, Trinity Spooner-Neera tries; Spooner-Neera conversion) Napier Tech Old Boys 12 (Timothy Farrell, Sam Kanthavong tries; Richard Buckman conversion).
Hastings Rugby and Sports 21 (Isaac Hinton, Patrick Lilo-Iosefo tries;
Oscar Sowman 3 penalties, conversion) Havelock North 21 (Tony Lamborn, Will Cole tries; Will Cole 2 penalties, drop goal, conversion).
Napier Old Boys Marist 46 (Kere Penitito 2, Tuli Faleiva, Kade Manuel-Green, Te Kahika Thompson, Michael Beech tries; Jonty Stewart, Ellery Wilson penalties; Stewart 4, Wilson conversions) Napier Pirate 31 (Vilikesa Waqanituva, Andrew Tauatevalu, Jarryd Broughton, Luke Russell, Sean Morrison tries; Sheridan Rangihuna 3 conversions).
Division 1 (Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy):
Clive 29 (Marcus Moat, Sam Wong, TJ Ave, Charles Varcoe, Maiti Leef tries; Jayden Falcon 2 conversions) Tamatea 24 (Muli Tuanaki, Oranga-Wairua Harris, Chas Gillies, Reno Jardine tries; Oranga-Wairua Harris 2 conversions).
Central 29 (Jordan Soli, Dylan Mair, Semi Vodesese tries; penalty try; Jordan Soli penalty, 2 conversions) Aotea 20 (Te Rangi Williams, Gene Ropoama, Rangi Chase tries; Hoera Stephenson penalty, conversion).
MAC 62(Elia Bari 3, Maika Fehoko, Benidito Vakaruru, Bronson Hokianga, Penisini Taufa, Damarus Hokianga, Tevita Taufa tries; penalty try; Benidito Vakaruru 3, Tevita Taufa, Meni Manase conversions) Bridge Pa 12
Asher Mitchell, Hemi Waerea tries; Roger Paewai conversion).
Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): MAC 52 Taradale 21, Napier OBM 52 Waipawa Country United 41, Otane 48 Maraenui 8, Porangahau a bye. Points (three rounds): Napier OBM 15, Otane 14, MAC 5, Maraenui 5, Taradale 4, Waipawa 2, Porangahau 1.
Division 2A (Neil Thimbleby Memorial Trophy): Napier Tech 55 Central 24, Napier Pirate 64 Eskview 5, Hastings v Takapau postponed, Havelock North a bye. Points (three rounds): Napier Pirate 15, Eskview 10, Napier Tech 7, Hastings 5, Central 5, Havelock North 1, Takapau 1.
Division 3 (Ron Parker Memorial Trophy): Havelock North 36 YMP 26, Napier Pirate 36 Taradale 29, Clive 34 Flaxmere 17. Points (three rounds): Taradale 12, YMP 11, Clive 10, Havelock North 8, Napier Pirate 7, Flaxmere 5.
Division 3A (AJ Gardiner Trophy): Taradale 71 Maraenui 28, Napier OBM 52 Takapau 12, MAC beat Bridge Pa by default. Points (three rounds): MAC 15, Napier OBM 15, Tamatea 12, Takapau 5, Maraenui 1.
Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Napier Pirate 36 Onga-Tiko 14, Napier OBM 50 Havelock North 29; Taradale beat Hastings R&S by default; Napier Tech OB a bye.
Women Big Barrel Championship): Napier Tech OB 55 Hastings R&S 0, MAC 73 Central 10, Clive a bye. Points (three rounds): Clive 10, MAC 10, Napier Tech OB 7, Hastings R&S 4, Central 1.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
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