2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby
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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.
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Didn't get to any club games today as had mother's birthday lunch today and speedway at 4.00pm so not enough time to get to any Tech games. As such no game review from me today
Ray White Nash Cup Results
Clive 10 - 52 Napier Old Boys-Marist
Aotea 22 - 41 MAC
Havelock North 19 - 46 Taradale
Altherm Tech 39 - 19 Napier Pirates
Tamatea 5 - 68 Central Hawkes BayNext Week's big clash Taradale v Altherm Tech @ Tareha Reserve 3.00pm.
Although the HB Challenge Shield will not be at stake it looks highly probable the winner of the encounter will probably take the Nash Cup for 2023. -
HBT's write-up of last Saturday's Nash Cup games:
Hawke’s Bay club rugby: MAC crash Aotea's party at home
Elia Bari scored a hat-trick as the floodgates opened midway through the second half.
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@Higgins said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby:
Looking at that I wonder if there will be a change to the starting Altherm Tech front row?
Will make enquiries whether there was a shifting of former Wellington Lions Loosehead Morgan Poi from Number 8 to prop to face PRS when I am next at Whitmore Park.
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By the way, most Magpies with SR contracts are playing SR this weekend.
Of those who are not, three are playing club rugby in the Auckland competition:
Anzelo Tuitavuki (11, Manukau)
Sione Tuipulotu (20, Manukau)
Lolagi Visinia (15, Suburbs)Joe 'Apikotoa and Stacey Ili are on the "injured" list.
The only one missing from any kind of list (at the moment) is Pouri Rakete-Stones, so I guess he'll warm up with the Canes and then will watch the game from the stands, wondering where he'll be playing next year.
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@Number-10 I cannot comment on that as with my family situation I mostly have to be back home by 6.00pm and even after stretching another half hour on top of that the players were only just starting to trickle in from Guppy Road when I had to leave. It would appear that most of the large band of Texans at The Tareha Reserve were still enjoying the hospitality out there too when I departed. We at Tech do the right thing (mostly) when playing away games by ensuring the time honoured tradition of having at least one drink in the hosts clubrooms before departing was upheld. In view of the hiding the Altherm Texans handed out that one drink probably turned into a couple methinks. The queue at the Taradale bar was quite long which was not surprising considering the very large crowd watching the game. I neglected to uphold the tradition and returned to Whitmore Park early on and there were almost as many bar staff on duty as there were patrons when I clocked in just before 5.00pm. I was ushered to the "Oldies" Table upon admittance which I thought was a bit on the nose until it dawned on me that I am a genuine Oldie nowadays after something like 45 years of financial membership at Tech after leaving High School!
There were a number of fairly battered bodies returning from Taradale with a number looking in need of a visit to the physio in the not too distant future which is a good indication of the fairly bruising battle it was out there on the paddock.
I can't give a full report as I only arrived about ten minutes before halftime after dealing to my Under 21s duties (beat Pirates 22 - 15 at Whitmore Park in an early kick off game!) but in the ten minutes before halftime Taradale looked to be holding the territorial advantage, helped by the breeze. I was later told that my guys had a lengthy period of domination prior to that but that was from the mouths of Tech supporters so take from that what you can.
After halftime (19 - 14 to Tech) it was mostly Tech holding sway, looking visibly more powerful in the forward exchanges overall (disregarding some shonky Tech lineouts) especially the close in runners who invariably made ground and had the Taradale defence on the back foot trying to contain them for considerable periods of time. The Tech loose trio did heaps of good work both on attack and defence and were a big part of the surge to victory.
Out the back there was really only one team in it with my guys looking like they could score at almost every instance the decided to run it wide. Sheridan Rangihuna made his name as a half back by my word since he has moved out to first five we have discovered he has a remarkable vision to ensure his backline does the right things at the right time. He is certainly a class player in the number ten jersey.
On the hosts side they never really had much front foot ball for their backs to use and when they did there was not really that much adventure displayed thanks to a much improved Tech defensive effort.All in all I am extremely satisfied about the way things panned out today and without being too cocky can honestly say the score probably flattered Taradale on the fifty minutes of gametime I witnessed. Without being too one eyed on another day my guys could have banked another two or three tries and scrambled close to the fifty point mark and there probably wouldn't have been too many grumbles from the Taradale faithful.
I know this result does not make up for the hurt of the Maddison Trophy defeat last season but it sure goes a long way to deaden the pain I am still feeling from that match. Taradale will probably learn a lot from today's game but scarily for them so will my guys.
After last year's golden point loss in the Championship Final I am still not getting overconfident about rectifying that, at this stage anyway but things are looking extremely promising if you are a Tech supporter. As they say there is still a long way to go and you should not count your chickens before they hatch.To round out the day @stockcar86 has yet to officially advise me Napier Old Boys got ripped up on their home ground up by MAC 29 - 31!
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby:
Tyrone Thompson starting for Tech! I'd love to see that front row combo with Tim Farrell.
I would too but have a calling from the likes of @Stockcar86 to take in the final speeday meeting for the season at Meeanee's Papakura Domain starting at 4.00pm (weather permitting!) so that sort of cancelled out rugby (kick off 3.00pm way over in Flaxmere) on a simple time factor anyway. Sadly, I have misplaced my spectacles thus preventing me from driving so couldn't get to Flaxmere Park anyway!
Without my spectacles I can't see well enough from the sidelines to make it worthwhile attending either event. Hopefully said spectacles will miraculously turn up in time to at least give me the choice.
