National club rugby results, April 8
Northland
(Premier)
Hikurangi 17 v 16 Waipu
Hora Hora 30 v 13 Otamatea
Mid Northern 29 v 24 Wellsford
Old Boys-Marist 53 v 08 Kamo
Western Sharks 40 v 05 Mid-Western
(North zone)
Awanui beat Kerikeri B by default
Eastern 43 v 07 Panguru
Kaeo 69 v 12 Te Rarawa
Kaikohe 19 v 17 Ohaeawai/Okaihau
Kerikeri A 42 v 34 Kaitaia
(South zone)
Otiria 60 v 06 Ruawai
Moerewa/United Kawakawa 42 v 05 Pipiwai
Kaihu 49 v 07 Southern
Tomarata 29 v 24 Whangaruru
North Harbour
(Buck Shelford Shield)
Massey 20 v 06 Marist
East Coast Bays 46 v 07 Mahurangi
Silverdale 26 v 17 North Shore
Northcote 33 v 31 Takapuna
Glenfield 27 v 24 Kumeu
Northcote have gone to the top of the table and annexed the Les Pearce Memorial Shield, after beating Takapuna 33-31 at Onewa Domain.
The visitors led 22-7 at the break, scoring some well-constructed tries, and then had to fight hard to hold on, as Takapuna mounted a stirring second-spell comeback, led by a brace to their outstanding player, hooker Steven Misa. Northcote player of the day Nick Regal scored a try, while Ben Smith ran in a double. It was a good day for debutants Jason Hayward and Dwayne Polataivao as they took the silverware back to the ‘Cote Hangar.
Tries to Oliver Day, Chris Ofanoa and Alasdair Cargo, plus 11 points from the boot of David McMurtrie, saw Silverdale to a 26-17 upset of North Shore in Devonport. The Dale now go 2-0 and second on the log. This was a scrappy affair between two evenly matched sides. Silverdale were deserved winners, with the more tenacious defence and some dominant pack play.
Captain Robbie Colhoun led by example and was prominent. while first-five McMurtrie directed play well. North Shore lock Adam Batt toiled hard and centre Dan Hilton-Jones looked dangerous, when given opportunity. Two tries to Tanimo Samoa were decisive for Glenfield, as they edged Kumeu 27-24, although they had to overcome a 14-10 halftime deficit.
Special mention goes to Glenfield coach Jeremy Hikuroa. His team was struggling for props, so the veteran ex-lock of more than 200 games for the club put in an 80-minute shift at loosehead.
Defending champions Massey laboured to a 20-6 win at Marist, while East Coast Bays beat Mahurangi 46-7. Marty Swart posted 16 points, while player of the day, No 6 Nu Tafua, scored a try, as well as carrying well and showing strength at the breakdown. Also among the tryscorers was veteran front-rower Slade McFarland.
Auckland
College Rifles 27 v 17 Eden
Waitemata 22 v 10 Manukau
Suburbs 53 v 10 Papatoetoe
Grammar TEC 23 v 22 Otahuhu
Pakuranga 31 v 13 Ponsonby
University 58 v 23 Marist
East Tamaki 42 v 07 Waitakere City
University made an early statement to the competition about their intention of regaining top-eight status, after a freewheeling 58-23 win over Marist at Colin Maiden Park to kick off the Auckland premier club season. Led by a man-of-the-match display from hooker Conor McGowan, standing in for Kurt Eklund, and an energetic outing from Auckland and Maori All Blacks prop Marcel Renata, Varsity ran in nine tries to three to regain the Dave Grace Memorial Trophy in emphatic style.
A hat-trick by former Manawatu Turbos flanker and All Blacks Sevens rep Antonio Kirikiri was the individual highlight. Kirikiri only entered the fray at halftime and also set up a try with his first touch. He complemented fellow loosies Richmond Tongatama and Sinclair Dominikovich-Murray.
The skipper received the trophy, being contested for the 41st occasion, from Dave Grace’s 93-year-old widow, Jeannie.
Halfback Brenton Helleur, making a comeback after a year in retirement, scored the opening try, set up by McGowan, but there was too much in the way of loose play and tactical ineptitude in the first half from both sides. However, Marist were very competitive, fullback William Raea scoring off an offload by dangerous wing Salesi Rayasi.
The floodgates creaked open in the second spell. Varsity’s backs, led by some elusive running by fullback Sam Lawson, cut capers out wide from a solid platform.
Elsewhere in Pool B, Grammar TEC had an almighty scare from Otahuhu, trailing 19-13 at the break, before edging the south Aucklanders 23-22.
Sixteen points, including a try by first-five Wiseguy Faiane, highlighted Pakuranga’s 31-13 victory over Ponsonby. Brother TJ, the Blues midfielder, also scored a try, and this is a 10-12 combination that Auckland and Pakuranga fans would like to see more of. East Tamaki, too, showed they are up for it with a 42-7 defeat of Waitakere City.
In Pool A, Suburbs, despite losing most of their pack from 2016, showed their class in dispatching Papatoetoe 53-10. Among the tryscorers were former Canterbury wing Milford Keresoma and Lolagi Visinia, along with flanker Beau Birtwistle, son of Suburbs stalwart and former Manu Samoa lock Mark Birtwistle.
Eden were not able to get the win to christen their newly refurbished Gribblehirst Park ground, falling 27-17 to College Rifles, while a brace to Waitemata wing Moape Qiolevu helped the westerners to a 22-10 victory over Manukau.
The competition returns on April 22 after the Easter break.
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup)
Pukekohe 45 v 07 Papakura
Ardmore-Marist 24 v 23 Bombay
Manurewa 74 v 07 Te Kauwhata
Patumahoe 28 v 27 Onewhero
Karaka 53 v 10 Waiuku
Ardmore-Marist are now unbeaten after five rounds and have taken the Counties Power Cup, following a narrow 24-23 win over Bombay in a replay of the 2016 McNamara Cup final. They scored a dramatic last-minute try that secured the bonus point and the silverware, and was full of character, after late injury issues to the front row.
Manurewa moved up to sixth, after a 74-7 shellacking of Te Kauwhata. Fa’alata Punatai claimed a hat-trick, while Jamie Metcalfe, Migao Tololvae and Peter White all grabbed a double. Pukekohe got back to winning ways with a 45-7 thrashing of Papakura, featuring doubles to Sione Oliver and George Maka. Former Bay of Plenty front rower Joe Royal and his impact off the bench helped Patumahoe take a narrow 28-27 win over Onewhero. The victors were outscored four tries to three and had to mount a second-half comeback.
Karaka continued their winning run, extending their streak to four games with a 53-10 win over Waiuku. Craig Hill’s side locked up a four-try bonus point inside the first quarter of the game and were never troubled, as they climbed to second on the ladder. Walter Fifita scored a brace. Karaka were celebrating a couple of milestone games – Russell Coutts brought up his 100 for the club, while John Fifita reached the 50 game-mark. With five tries, Ardmore Marist’s Vini Iosua finds himself alone in first place on the AS Wilcox and Sons leaderboard, while team-mate Solomona Paraki is the competition’s leading point-scorer with 50.
Thames Valley
(Silcock Shield)
Cobras 50 v 11 Coromandel
Thames 35 v 27 Hauraki North
Waihou 31 v 05 Paeroa West
Mercury Bay 37 v 20 Whangamata
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide premier)
Te Puke Sports 43 v 07 Whakatane Marist
Paroa 27 v 20 Rangataua
Tauranga Sports 33 v 16 Whakarewarewa
Te Puna 58 v 00 Greerton Marist
Mt Maunganui Sports 37 v 17 Rotoiti
Arataki 58 v 31 Poroporo
Waikato
Fraser Tech 46 v 28 Hamilton Marist
Hamilton Old Boys 37 v 21 Te Awamutu Sports
Hautapu 38 v 19 Otorohanga
Southern United 35 v 23 United Matamata Sports
Melville 44 v 22 University
King Country
Piopio 33 v 22 Waitomo
Waitete 18 v 13 Taumarunui R and S
Taupo Sports A 15 v 10 Taupo United
Taumarunui Districts 28 v 00 Kio Kio
Tongariro 74 v 03 Taupo Sports B
East Coast
Hikurangi 46 v 05 Hicks Bay
Tokararangi 22 v 19 Waiapu
Tokomaru United 57 v 07 Tawhiti
Ruatoria City 24 v 24 TVC
Poverty Bay
Waikohu 36 v 18 HSOB
Pirates 26 v 15 Athletic
OBM 30 v 21 Ngatapa
Hawke’s Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
Napier Old Boys-Marist 40 v 12 Havelock North
Central 25 v 24 Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports
Hastings Rugby and Sports 32 v 07 Taradale
Clive 52 v 15 MAC
Napier Technical 52 v 05 Tamatea
Taranaki
Coastal 24 v 15 Stratford
Tukapa 23 v 20 Southern
NPOB 39 v 24 Clifton
Inglewood 29 v 20 Spotswood United
Wanganui
Border 48 v 22 Pirates
Marist 38 v 31 Ngamatapouri
Ruapehu 88 v 07 Utiku OB
Taihape 54 v 14 Kaierau
Manawatu
Te Kawau 40 v 17 Linton Army
Kia Toa 38 v 18 Feilding
Freyberg 32 v 27 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua
College Old Boys 22 v 10 Old Boys-Marist
Wairarapa-Bush
(Moose Kapene Cup)
Marist 24 v 15 Eketahuna
Greytown 34 v 10 Martinborough
Gladstone 50 v 22 East Coast
Carterton 22 v 22 Pioneer
If Friday night’s Moose Kapene Cup opener is anything to go by, a cracking season of club rugby is in store.
Under lights at Trust House Memorial Park, Marist got up to win 24-15 in an entertaining match. Victorious coach Nathan Riwai-Couch called it a “good rugby spectacle” that bodes well for a top 2017 competition.
In scoring four tries to three, Marist bagged maximum points, with Riwai-Couch rapt with the way his charges stood up against their largely bigger opponents in the forwards.
Nowhere was this more evident than in the performance of loosehead prop Ryan Hargood. Fresh out of Wairarapa College, Hargood scooped his team’s player of the day award with a terrific game. On the other side of the scrum is Stan Wright. Hugely experienced, the former Cook Islands international and Wairarapa-Bush rep had a major influence.
Scoring first, Marist always had their noses in front, with Leo Eneliko, Daniel Glesson, Rhys Severn and Wright dotting down tries, while James Goodger kicked two conversions.
Openside flanker Johan van Vliet was one of Eketahuna’s best, along with Alex Metekingi.Eket ahuna coach Chris Osborne says his players looked a little underdone, but did enough to give them confidence for the season ahead.
Elsewhere, Gladstone ran in seven tries in their 50-22 routing of East Coast. Young Brad Griffith kicked 13 points.
Defending champions Greytown were too strong for neighbours Martinborough, winning 34-10, while Carterton and Pioneer finished all square at 22-apiece.
Horowhenua Kapiti
Levin COB 35 v 21 Paraparaumu
Shannon 35 v 16 Foxton
Waikanae 50 v 08 Athletic
Wanderers 18 v 17 Rahui
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 53 v 00 Avalon Wolves
Northern United 35 v 17 Johnsonville
Marist St Pat’s 42 v 40 Wainuiomata
Old Boys-University 74 v 08 Paremata-Plimmerton
Petone 25 v 25 Oriental-Rongotai
Poneke 52 v 14 Upper Hutt Rams
Tawa 45 v 08 Wellington
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Moutere 38 v 25 Central
Waimea Old Boys 39 v 28 Wanderers
Marist 29 v 23 Stoke
Nelson 55 v 07 Kahurangi
Waitohi 32 v 17 Renwick
East Coast 45 v 14 Harlequins
Buller
(Albion Cup)
Westport beat Reefton by default
White Star 33 v 05 Ngakawau
Canterbury
(Metro)
Lincoln University 39 v 14 Marist Albion
New Brighton 43 v 03 Burnside
University 60 v 11 Linwood
Sydenham 39 v 15 Sumner
Christchurch 62 v 08 HSOB
Shirley 32 v 17 Belfast
(Canterbury Country/Mid Canterbury)
Darfield 30 v 08 Waihora
Hornby 28 v 19 Ohoka
Prebbleton 19 v 17 Saracens
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 43 v 23 Hampstead
Glenmark-Cheviot 36 v 14 Celtic
Lincoln 21 v 08 West Melton
Oxford 31 v 13 Southern
Southbridge 58 v 23 Kaiapoi
Rakaia 52 v 05 Rolleston
South Canterbury
(Hamersley Cup)
Harlequins 34 v 28 Celtic
MacKenzie 57 v 05 Old Boys
Pleasant Point 14 v 03 Geraldine
Temuka 46 v 35 Waimate
North Otago
Excelsior 38 v 33 Kurow
Old Boys 61 v 12 Maheno
Valley 31 v 08 Athletic Marist
Otago
(Dunedin Metro)
Southern 27 v 22 Alhambra-Union
Harbour 28 v 23 Kaikorai
Dunedin 25 v 21 Zingari-Richmond
Taieri 27 v 20 Green Island
(Central Otago)
Upper Clutha 18 v 08 Maniototo
Alexandra 31 v 24 Matakanui Combined
Clyde-Earnscleugh 33 v 30 Arrowtown
Wakatipu 36 v 10 Cromwell
Southland
Blues 33 v 17 Star
Marist 41 v 37 Woodlands
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 49 v 17 Pirates-Old Boys
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