Ratana flanker Jamie Hughes dives over to score against Kaierau at the Ratana Pa on Saturday. Photo/Bevan Conley
While the adjustments to playing rugby under lights are subtle, they are also significant, and Speirs Food Marton’s inability to adapt proved costly in their 28-5 loss to Waverley Harvesting Border on Friday night.
Wanganui rugby’s annual evening fixture, played to allow the country boys to get away for the start of duck hunting season, drew another strong crowd to Dallison Park, with both teams fielding perhaps their strongest lineups so far in 2014.
Border’s No8 Ray Stark returned from injury while prop Kamipeli Latu, reserve loosie Kieran Hussey and fullback Fraser Middleton were back on deck, while Marton saw Chris Rayner return to flanker and Soonalote Tauailoto slot in at first-five.
For Marton, 60 minutes of poor kicking, dropped ball, offside play and wayward hands keeping referee Kawana Tihema’s whistle busy could not be undone by a solid final quarter, where prop Rau Uini dived over after a strong rolling maul to the line.
Border’s great strength as grafters has always been their ability to immediately capitalise on opposition errors, with their prospects further aided by Rayner and then halfback Tyler Rogers-Holden being sinbinned either side of halftime.
Stark opened their scoring with a dash off the back of a 10m scrum, while winger Sikeli Ulukuta brought his kicking boots with a conversion and three cool penalty kicks to lead 16-0 at the break.
A Middleton clearance had a horror bounce for the Marton backs and Border swooped again with centre Sailosi Naqiso dashing off to score in the southern corner.
After absorbing Marton’s comeback and the Uini try, more Border pressure from kicks forced a defensive scrum on the goal line where halfback Lindsay Horrocks was able to steal the loose ball for a try.
After the disappointment of the loss to Harvey Round Motors Ratana the previous week, Border coach Ross Williams had the improvements he was after in terms of his team stepping up their intensity, speed off the line, and discipline.
“We’re getting better now, no doubt about that.
“[We capitalise] if we’re at the right end of the field.”
For his opposite Cornel Mason, it was clear his players had not exercised “rugby nous”.
“Structure’s a bit hard for them to adapt to.
“At the end, that was probably one of our best 20 minutes of the season.
“But sixty minutes of errors, passes going down and too many 50-50.”
Mason mentioned having “nous” can be found across that whole team, yet the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield holders flirted with once again surrendering the shield at Ratana Pa on Saturday afternoon against cellar-dwellers Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau.
Scoring three tries in the first half, Ratana’s achilles heel of fading late in matches saw Kaierau come back with two Jordan Farrington tries in the last 10 minutes with the hosts hanging on 25-24.
At Memorial Park, Taihape picked up a crucial 33-7 win over Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
Big flanker Johnson Hiroa got two tries, while frontrowers Slade Hay-Horton and Rimu Wipaki again got on the score sheet, along with speedy winger Jaye Flaws.
Taihape’s victory not only lifted them away from Marist on the table, but ahead of Border into third spot with the prospect of climbing higher as Ruapehu and Border both have byes over the next two weekends.
In Senior rugby, a late penalty saw Border hang on in a thrilling finale against The Downs Group Marton to keep their unbeaten record intact with a 18-17 win under lights at Dallison Park.
The Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield changed hands again as Taihape ended Marist Buffalo’s one-week tenure with a 24-10 win at Memorial Park.
And the new Ratana senior team finally picked up their first victory of 2014 with a 34-23 win over Kaierau.
Results
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 7
Waverley Harvesting Border 28 (Ray Stark, Sailosi Naqiso, Lindsay Horrocks tries, Sikeli Ulukuta 3 pen, 2 con) bt Speirs Food Marton 5 (Rau Uini try). HT: 16-0.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield Harvey Round Motors Ratana 25 (Te Rokena Matthews, Jamie Hughes, Western Hemi, Marius Joseph tries, Caleb Maraku pen, con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 24 (Jordan Farrington 2 tries, Ace Malo 4 pen, con). HT: 17-9.
Integrity Motors Pirates 17 (Dawai Navitio, Samu Etuati tries, Denning Tyrell pen, 2 con) bt McCarthy’s Ruapehu 16 (Robert Hughes try, Zyon Hekenui 3 pen, con). HT: 16-7 Ruapehu.
Taihape 33 (Johnson Hiroa 2, Slade Hay-Horton, Rimu Wipaki, Jaye Flaws tries, Tom Wells 4 con) bt Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 7 (Mohi Waihi try, Grayson Tihema con). HT: 19-0 Taihape.
Bye: Utiku OB.
Grand Irish Bar Most Valuable Player points
At Waverley: Lindsay Horrocks (Border halfback) 3 points, Ray Stark (Border No 8) 2, Saul Chase (Marton centre) 1.
At Ratana: Jamie Hughes (Ratana flanker) 3, Rob Lavin (Kaierau flanker) 2, Caleb Maraku (Ratana first five) 1.
At Ohakune: Lasa Ulukuta (Pirates No 8) 3, Andrew Evans (Ruapehu No 8) 2, William Short (Ruapehu halfback) 1.
At Taihape: Johnson Hiroa (Taihape flanker) 3, Rimu Wipaki (Taihape hooker) 2, Mohi Waihi (Marist second five) 1.
MVP Leaders: Lindsay Horrocks (Border) and Clive Stowers (Pirates) 8, Ray Stark (Border) and William Short (Ruapehu) 7, Simon Hillis (Pirates) and Ryan Gill (Marist) 6, Rory Gudsell (Marist) and Hoani Rameka (Utiku OB) 5, Jamie Hughes (Ratana) and Matt Crawford (Utiku OB) 4.
Senior Championship, Week 7
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Marist Celtic bt Counties 19-7.
At Waverley: Border bt The Downs Group Marton 18-17. HT: 15-14.
At Ratana: Ratana bt Kaierau 34-23. HT: 15-10 Kaierau.
At Ohakune: Ruapehu bt Trans Pacific Pirates 16-10. HT: 16-3.
At Taihape No1 (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Taihape bt Marist Buffalo’s 24-10. HT: 7-3.
At Taihape No2: Utiku OB bt Tech 16-10. HT: 7-3 Tech.
Bye: Power Farming (PN) Hunterville.
By Jared Smith – WANGANUI CHRONICLE
