2023 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby
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Because both the Development team and U19s are now playing competition games, it's good to look at what other teams are doing.
Wellington Centurions lost 29-61 (!) to Taranaki Development. Last week, they beat Manawatu 40-38.
Wellington U19 beat Hurricanes Heartland U20 by 50 to 12.Next weekend, both our Development and U19 team will play Wellington, I think both games are in Wellington.
Next weekend, the U18 Boys Tournament starts as well, with our HB boys taking on Wellington in Napier.
An U18 Girls competition starts as well, but I don't know whether we have a team to participate.
There's also an U15 Boys Tournament Week (Wed 31 August - Sat 2 September 2023 in Wellington). Last year, I don't think there was a Hawke's Bay team. This year?
This week, there's also a U14 Boys "Festival" (3 days in Wellington) and an U15 Girls Tournament Week (of 2 days in Levin).
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Rep games on
Saturday 2 September 2023:
• Hawke's Bay U16 Dev v Hawke's Bay U18 Co-ed - 11.00am at Tremain Field #1, Napier
• Hawke's Bay U18 v Wellington Centurions U18 - 1.00pm at Tremain Field #1, Napier
• Wellington Centurions U19 v Hawke's Bay U19 - 12.00pm at Rugby League Park #1, Wellington
• Wellington Centurions v Hawke's Bay Development - 13.45pm at Rugby League Park #1, WellingtonSunday 3 September 2023:
• Wairoa Rugby Sub-Union v Waikohu - 1.30pm at Lambton Square, Wairoa (Barry Cup game)
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The HB Tipping team have yet another fixture against the new table toppers the combined Auckland-North Harbour outfit this weekend. We might not be leading the points table but we still go into the fixture with an undefeated record after having the wood on then table toppers Bush last week only to come away with a drawn result. Half the team have already got their tips in for this week, which starts off tonight at 7.05pm (not that I need reminding you of that!) when the Magpies take on Northland so just waiting on @Propsicle @stargazer and @stockcar86 to put the final bit of thought into it before they get their entries submitted. Things have been relaxed a bit this week and after last weeks major toe stubbing the HB 17+ option is again back on the market, but don't feel obligated to take it by the way! A win this week will put us in with a good chance of taking the minor premiership as the other two unbeaten outfits (Bush and Nth Harbour) front up against each other next week whilst we have got Bay of Plenty and they tend to blow hot or cold.
Good luck guys and fingers crossed that we do not have another of those twelve minute mysterious injury time add ons that we are still grumpy about (unless we happen to be behind and then that's ok!!!!!)
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Definitely not the later but I did hear last week that he was unavailable for this game but can't remember the reason. Maybe he has this trip away preplanned when it was obvious the HB selectors were not going to offer him a HB Magpies contract, preferring to stick with Sam Smith instead. Can't blame him really when that sort of thing happens. Aayway hope you get to Rugby League Park to see our guys in action and await your report afterward. Looks to be a powerful hard running backline, perhaps lacking a bit in outright top end speed but be hard to tackle all the same. Not withstanding the excellent looking loose forward trio the forward pack overall looks to be down a bit on strength judging from what I saw in the last two games against Taranaki and the "Poo. Pleased to see Manaaki Aranui has retained his spot in the hookers jersey, a good solid player that has been concentrating on hooking rather more than propping this season.
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I just saw this on Twitter:
So if you're not able to go to the games in Wellington, you will be able to listen to the commentary!
Te Upoko radio can be found on 1161AM, 87.6FM (I assume that's only in the Wellington area?) & streaming via iHeartRadio and http://irirangi.net/listen-online/te-upoko-o-te-ika.aspx?id=67F33876-6044-4C51-9654-A306E06AFBB0 .
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Half time: Wellington 12 - 19 Hawke's Bay U19
Wellington scored the first two tries. Then our Junior Magpies came back.
Prop Nathanial Hauiti scored the first HB try; Kade Manuel scored the second, a 50m intercept try. The third try was scored by no. 8 Josh Smith, who is described by the commentators as a "big lump". Jordan Soli converted two of the three tries.
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Full time: Wellington 27 - 26 Hawke's Bay U19
Our second half try was scored by Patrick Lilo-Iosefo and converted by Jordan Soli, who unfortunately missed a sitter of a penalty kick.
The commentators are saying this game deserved a draw. Listening to the commentary, I had the impression that Wellington were better in the first and fourth quarter, while our boys were best in the 2nd and 3rd.
They also said during the game that our defence had been impressive.
Wellington gets 5 points out of this game; Hawke's Bay 2 bonus points. Wellington has practically won the competition already, unless Manawatū miraculously get up for their last game and our lads absolutely destroy the Heartland Under 20 team.
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But much better news from Park Island where Hawkes Bay blitzed the Wellington Centurions Under 18s (effectively the Wellington Under 18s) with the magnificent scoreline of 37 - 07 in absolutely glorious sunshine that helped being the temperature to what must have been 20 degrees.
Wellington started ok but it took just seven minutes before a nice penetrating run by left winger who the programme said was Kyan Lowe (but that might have been wrong) that resulted in Wellington holding on in defence and conceding a penalty just short of their line. The lineout resulted in a typical lineout driving try to hooker Juan Ross and that made me glow with pride considering it happened less than 10 yards from where I was watching!
Ten minutes later Wgtn overthrew a lineout and the ball was scooped up by openside Tori Randell and he set up a nice backline thrust to the right which saw the winger Josh Augustine all but score but fortunately support players were on hand to pick up the recycled ball to dot down for a try out wide on the right (might have been scored by halfback Joel Russell but don't take that as gospel) that doubled the lead after the conversion hit the left upright and deflected away.
Lock Oscar Ritchie all but added another try not long after with a Vaea Fifita like long burst down the right hand side that looked all over a try but sadly the touchy had his flag up some seventy yards back behind play.
We did not have long to wait to get over that disappointment with another couple of backline thrusts down the right side saw Augustine nailed right on the line but had Russell on hand to complete the job and suddenly it was HB 15 - 00 Wgtn
Not much more of interest to add before halftime other than record that Welington took a quick tap penalty five yards short and one of their players barrelled over for a converted try right on the break.
Second half comments to be added to this post in the next hour or so.EDIT As promised this is the second half rundown
It was a bit slow points scoring wise anyway at the start of the second half. Indeed it took more than ten minutes before I had to get my pen out again but the guy wearing the 25 jersey playing at full back pulled off a real nice outside swerve to finished off a nice period of HB play when he gracefully beat the last defender with a nice outside swerve t0 score out wide not far from where I had relocated to at halftime. Just as well he scored too as he had a couple of unmarked players outside him and the score became 20 - 07.
Five minutes later replacement left winger Charlie Nash got brought down a yard short of the line after a nice fast run but fortunately for the lanky Nash he was able to stretch out his long arm to place the ball over the line for another try, again right in front of me!
HB continued to have the upper hand despite running on all of their bench but we had to wait until a couple of minutes before time before another nicely constructed lineout drive saw yet another five points added to the scoreboard and then right on time Angus Prouting, playing at number 8, powered over from a quick tap penalty to score the last try and surprise surprise the conversion (the only one of the day) sailed majestically over the crossbar between the uprights to round out the score at 37 - 07The Bay started strongly in the scrums and looked like it was going to be one way traffic but credit to the Wellington guys who remedied things and it became an intriguing contest throughout. The Bay had plenty of height in the lineout and managed to pinch a reasonable number of opposition throws but lost one or two themselves but overall had the upper hand.
Out in the backs we had the upper hand helped by some astute play from the inside and midfield backs who laid on plenty of opportunities for whoever was on the wing. And the wingers certainly made the most of that with a number of searing runs that had the opposition grasping at fresh air a few times when they attempted tackles.
A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon in almost summer like conditions, and a result that pleased me no end.If anyone is interested the number two field had a game between Poverty Bay and Wanganui (probably Under 18s) that Poverty Bay ran away to win by something like 51 -15 after wracking up about three or four late second half tries, one a 80 metre intercept.
Finally I have had a text from my flatmate in Wellington advising me of the score from my understrength Development Team's match against his mob. I have not dignified the news with a reply but suffice to say it was not pleasant reading from my point of view.
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Yuck, our Development team lost as well. This is from the Club Rugby website:
The Wellington U19s beat the Hawkes Bay U19s 27-26 in a last play thriller, while the Wellington Development side defeated the Hawke’s Bay Development side 55-19.
Match reports of the U19 and Development games:
Contrasting wins for Wellington teams over Hawke’s Bay sides at Rugby League Park
Above: Teammates celebrate Wellington U19s wing Junior Paulo’s try at the end of the match that gave them a one-point win over the Hawke’s Bay U19s in their match at Rugby League Park. …
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Rep games on Saturday 9 September 2023:
• Hawke's Bay U19 v Hurricanes Heartland U20 - 1.00pm at McLean Park, Napier (curtain raiser Battle of the Bays)
• Whanganui U18 Boys v Hawke's Bay U18 Boys - 1.00pm at Spriggens Park, Whanganui
• Manawatū U18 Girls v Whanganui U18 Girls v Hawke's Bay U18 Girls - Palmerston North (game of 3 halves)
• Hawke's Bay U16 A v Wellington U16 Black - 1.00pm at Bill Brown Park, Palmerston North (preseason)
• Hawke's Bay U16 Dev v Wellington U16 Dev - 1.00pm at Bill Brown Park, Palmerston North (preseason)I'm not entirely sure whether our Development team is done for the season with the official competition over. They may still have a game against a more random opponent from outside the Hurricanes region or one of the many Wellington teams. If they play, it won't be a home game or a Wellington home game.
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A call out to the tippers in the Hawkes Bay Tipping Team that have yet to get their entry in for this week. There are less than three hours to go now to get your tips in for our clash against Bay of Plenty so get a wriggle on please. We had a bit of a hiccup last week when a late Manawatu try caused a swing of about thirty points against us (mostly concerning the lowest scoring team for the week) meaning we got toppled by the combined North Harbour Auckland outfit and crashed to our first loss of the season.
This week we take on Bay of Plenty who are currently in fifth place and need a win to be in with a chance of sneaking into the playoffs whilst we sit in third spot but could still get knocked out on a who beats who or points differential if we somehow manage to lose this week. A win is easier said that done considering that the whole match will probably revolve around the result at McLean Park as each tipper is bound to tip for their own side to win so one way or the other the margin between the tipping teams is likely to be quite decisive.
Naturally I am hoping, probably against all odds after the last two feeble efforts from the Magpies, that we can roll them. Have had to temper my expectations a bit and have taken the 17+ home win and placed it on the back burner just for this once!
Anyway @Stargazer @Stockcar86 @Paj you can use this link to get your tip in before 7.05pm tonight, especially one who ran out of fuel getting to the start line and missed out tipping completely last week (not that it made any difference in the end).
Good luck guys -
Because us Magpies supporters need something to cheer us up. I don't have all the results yet:
Hawke's Bay U19 47 - 19 Hurricanes Heartland U20
Hawke's Bay U18 83 - 0 Whanganui U18
Hawke's Bay U16A 34 - 31 Wellington U16 Black (not sure about this one) -
Whoop whoop for my Number 26!
Tui players fly into Black Ferns back-up squad
The Tui reap the rewards of getting to the cup semi-finals.
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Yes, pretty stoked she and halfback Kahlia Awa made the Black Ferns XV, although I had obviously hoped for a few more Tui to be named.
By the way, after Manawatū lost the Championship Final on Sunday and Wellington relegated, the Tui will be the Hurricanes region's only FPC team in the Premiership in 2024. I hope that will translate in a few more Aupiki spots. Not holding my breath though.
TSF Tipping
