2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby
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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. -
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@Billsy111 said in 2023 Hawke's Bay Club Rugby:
@Higgins what was yesterday's results
2023 Ray White Nash Cup Round 8 Results
Havelock North 27 - 22 Pirates
MAC 17 - 43 Altherm Tech
NOBM 81 - 14 Tamatea
Taradale 35 - 21 Hastings
Aotea 25 - 17 CliveAotea: 25
Tries: Ryan Tongia, Israel Moke, Gene Ropoama Conversions: Hoera Stephenson
(2)
Penalties: Hoera Stephenson (2)
Clive: 17
Tries: Sam Wong, Petera Kahui-Ariki Conversions: Tianua Poto (2) Penalty: Tianua PotoHavelock North: 27
Tries: Tawhiri Gifford-Kara, Jesse Paewai, Cooper Flanders Conversions: Tawhiri Gifford-Kara (3)
Penalties: Tawhiri Gifford-Kara (2)
Pirate: 22
Tries: Cruz Davies (2), Hugh Taylor, Rocky Hoffman Conversion: Lincoln-Blake BowmanAltherm NTOB: 43
Tries: Tyrone Thompson (3), Waitangi Tuisuga, Liam Udy-Johns, Morgan Poi (2) Conversions: Sheridan Rangihuna (4)
M.A.C: 17
Tries: Elia Bari, Hateni Tafolo, Vailoa Kereti Conversion: Joshua CowardNOBM: 81
Tries: James Mitchell, Paoraian Manuel-Harman (4), Kere Penitito, Josh Gimblett, Matthew Monaghan, Jonty Stewart, Pedro Bezanilla (2), Michael Beech, Dylan Homan Conversions: Jonty Stewart (8)
Tamatea: 14
Tries: Rico Harris, Macenalagi Sawelio Conversions: Dennon Robinson-BartlettTRSC: 35
Tries: William Fonohema (3), Angelo Mufana (2), Majella Tufuga Conversion: Ezra Malo Penalty: Ezra Malo
HRS: 21
Tries: Troydyn Bird, Faleapuna Matamata, Jayden Rihia Conversions: Koby Deacon (3)I was no contributor to that result with no glasses meaning unable to drive to get to the game so compromised and went to Speedway instead as it is in very easy walking distance of home (both events on at similar times) where fortunately there were a number of decent prangs within my vastly reduced vision range.
Next week's HB Challenge Shield defence at Whitmore Park will be against Central Hawkes Bay. My Metro Direct Colts guys are away at Havelock North in an early game so if my glasses are located I will only be back in time for the second half at best. -
Once again arrived just before half time, albeit a bit grumpy after my Under 21 guys let in a couple of late converted tries to lose! CHB were just kicking off with the score NTOB 11 - 10 CHB and that's the way it stayed until halftime. Apparently until then it was sort of an old fashioned type of game with massive amounts of forward play and that sort of continued throughout the second half. It was a place for only the toughest guys to be out there on the field with a bit of old fashioned style players putting in a little bit of niggle! Even with CHB getting their noses in front I remained confident of a Texans victory despite my guys being at least 8 points behind on occasions.
So my confidence proved to be well placed with a massive try to Manaaki Aranui (I think) from a concerted period of forwards hammering away at the goal line with only a few minutes left. The conversion took my guys out into a three point lead and despite some intense CHB forward pressure the Altherm Texans held on for the narrowest of victories.
There were bits of backline play but with CHB having a few Fijians in the backs I thought there might have been a bit more. In all honesty I thought the Texan backs shaded their opponents ever so slightly and always looked the more likely to construct an attacking backline try. Sometimes the way the game pans out sort of stops the backs from flinging it all round the field and today was one of those.
So happy I was that I forget what the final score was but it was something like 33 - 30 or thereabouts with my guys probably getting the four try bonus (to be confirmed!). Whatever it was the HB Challenge Shield was locked away after the successful defence in readiness to put it on the line against Tamatea on 27 May.
Next week the Altherm Texans are out to Anderson Park to take on Havelock North. Hopefully the drainage in the changing rooms in Havelock will be a bit better next week than it was today!
