2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby
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The women's Marsh Cup competition starts today, and I've gone quickly through the squad lists.
Positive: Teilah Ferguson back playing for Tech. Hopefully she will be available for the Tui this year, because we need a good replacement for Amelia Pasikala, and she won't return to Wellington.
Positive: Kahlia Awa seems to be in the MAC squad, so hopefully also returning to the Tui and not poached by Wellington.
Negative: I haven't seen Harmony Kautai on any list.
A few other Tui missing, too.
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Handy graphic if you want to know how the premiers competition works, this year.
They still haven't returned to the "new" format they announced for the 2020 season, which was postponed due to Covid to 2021, and changed again due to Covid for 2022. In that "new" format, the top 8 teams from the Nash Cup were to progress to the Maddison Trophy, and the bottom 2 teams were to compete with the 6 best Town & Country teams for the Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy in round 2 Division 1. Now, it's the top 6 Nash Cup teams progressing to the Maddison Trophy and only one Town & Country team will go into Division 1.
Is this again temporary, or will they settle on this format? I wish the HBRU would make up its mind and clearly explain what the format is from now on, with Covid at this stage no longer interfering with the comp
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Can't really give too much insight into the Altherm Tech match against Hartings RSC as I was slightly delayed getting there after celebrations for my Metro Direct Tech Colts' thumping 51 - 28 away win over Napier Old Boys kind of took presidence! Anyway I got there at halftime where it was Tech 19 - 05 Hastings. Apparently Hastings thumbed their noses at my guys by scoring first and proved more than annoying during the remainder of the half.
Frankly the second half was a real old sytle slogfest with the forward packs battling it out with plenty of vigour but with my guys holding an advantage out in the backs. Hastings had the sea breeze behind them in and most times they snaffled the ball off my guys when in their own half they hoofed it back downfield and Tech had to start all over again. It remained deadlocked at the 1/2 time score until right on full time when a penalty from right in front was smacked right over the black dot and Hastings was denied a close loss bonus point (but it also denied my guys a chance of the four try bonus.). The kick was a certainty whereas the try was at longer odds so I was quite happy to deny them a point in the circumstances. There were some pretty fierce clashes in the forward play and I suspect there would be a good number of sore bodies when the guys try to get out of bed in the morning.The Tech backs always looked more threatening with Bethel Malasia proving a bit of a handful when he got his mitts on the ball in the wider channels. Closer in it was my Mr. Popoali'i that was responsible for some nice breaks as well as some crunching engagements that often had him breaking the tackle. I certainly would not like to have to tackle him if I could avoid it! Once again, much like the win over Napier Old Boys on Wednesday night, there were a number of very near misses that when everything is on song would have been converted into points/tries.
Up front it was pretty even but similar to Wednesday night the Texans got on top in the scrums toward the end and managed to snaffle at least half a dozen opposition lineout throws, so I was pleased about that. Liam Udy-Johns was again into everything but he was ably supported by the rest of the pack where no one played poorly. I suppose you could almost say the same about the Hastings side which looked to have a fair bit of youth in it. They were certainly more competitive than I thought they might be so kudos to them for that.
Despite seeing only the second half it was enough to further confirm that Tech will flog someone when everything sticks but also showed that there is a fair bit of grit amongst the opposition teams that my guys have come up against.
Next challenge for the Hawkes Bay Challenge Shield are the vastly improved Napier Pirates who take on The Texans at Whitmore Park next weekend. It promises to be a much close encounter than the big margin there was the last time the two sides met. -
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NOBM
1 Johnny Faleiva, 2 Reilly Hannan, 3 Tulitaluai Faleiva, 4 Nicholas Ennor, 5 Boris van Bruchem, 6 Josh Gimblett, 7 Mitchell Gibson, 8 Hannon Brighouse
9 Kade Manuel-Green, 10 Jonty Stewart, 11 James Mitchell, 12 Bain Champion, 13 Michael Beech, 14 Kere Penitito, 15 Josh McIntyre
16 Dylan Homan, 17 Lee Moleli, 18 Terry Marsh, 19 Matthew Monaghan, 20 Pouvi Fatialofa, 21 Pedro Bezanilla
If anyone is going to this game, I'd be interested in hearing how Tyrone Chrystal (Clive), Nick Ennor (NOBM) and Kade Manuel (NOBM) are going. -
Taradale
1 Wiremu COTTRELL, 2 Dylan Gallien, 3 William Fonohema, 4 Hunter MORRISON, 5 Angelo MUFANA, 6 Kinghouse TUPUOLA, 7 Kusitino Savea, 8 Iakopo Petelo Mapu
9 Thomas EDEN, 10 Ezra Malo, 11 Majella TUFUGA, 12 Nathan RAMSAY, 13 Hemaua SAMASONI, 14 Flynn Allen, 15 Brayden-Trevaughn Lansdown-Cunningham
16 Jackman BYRNE, 17 Aloese Aiolupotea, 17 Sam Combs, 19 Levy Aiolupotea, 20 Karl HEWITT, 21 Kienan HIGGINS, 22 Dylan RAMSAY -
Went to Anderson Park to watch Havelock North v Taradale.
Comfortable win to Taradale 46-19 although they led 34-12 at halftime, so second half was just 12-7.
Taradale number eight Iakopo Mapu scored the try of the day - went the blindside of a scrum and ran 60 metres down the right hand touchline, busting four tackles, to score.
Taradale blindside flanker Kinghouse Tupuola, in his first year out of school, looks a promising talent and scored a nice try.
Taradale had three men off for yellow cards - all for high tackles.
Apparently only 8 of the Havelock Nth 22 played for the Havelock Prem team last year.
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@Number-10 Not surprised by your comment about Kinghouse Tupuola. I've mentioned him several times in the HB Schools' thread the last year or so. He played both as a loose forward and hooker for Lindisfarne, and really impressed me.
I wonder whether Mapu makes the Magpies, this year. He's been knocking on the door for some time now, but was overlooked for Tupou Maafu Afungia, last year.
