Premier Club Rugby Report - 26 April By LINDSAY KNIGHT.- Beating within 48 hours two of the club’s oldest rivals, Ponsonby and Takapuna, would have to rank among one of the most memorable weekends in North Shore’s long history. Shore won a special friendly against Auckland’s glamour club Ponsonby on Anzac Day 38-35 in the curtain-raiser to the the Blues-Waratahs Super 15 match at Eden Park, then followed that with a 35-15 win on Sunday against Takapuna in the Harbour premier competition. Of the two the win over Ponsonby, though not counting for any championship, was probably the more exhilarating as the win over Takapuna was a much more dour affair, turning out to be a kicking duel between two veteran five-eighths, Shore’s Willie Walker and Takapuna’s Jon Elrick. Only two tries were scored in the match, by two of Shore’s forwards, James Hincho and Jackson Achilles, with the game losing much of its shape when Takapuna lost three front row players in the first spell. That meant that the remaining scrums had to be played under Golden Oldie rules, with no pushing. Walker kicked seven penalties and converted both tries for a personal tally of 25 points, while Elrick landed five penalties for Takapuna. The win did improve Shore’s table position though they are still some way adrift of the early season pace-setters and playing through champions, Massey. In Saturday’s matches Massey maintained a six-point table lead to with another imposing performance for a 78-10 win over a struggling Marist side. Super 15 player Nafi Tuitavake took advantage of the Crusaders’ bye to score three of Massey’s tries and prop Chris Iosua celebrated his 50th game for the club with a try. Northcote’s Renata Roberts-Tenana also recorded a hat-trick of tries as the side Mahurangi 81-19. The match effectively was a training run for the young Northcote side, but was an opportunity to show how well drilled a unit they are under Bob Telfer’s coaching. The backs ran strongly with halfback Regan Crosland and wing Harrison Bowker each securing a brace of tries and Marcus Hayward, Marty Faville and Lua Li showing power in the forwards. Though overwhelmed, Mahurangi were always gallant and contributed to the contest with three well constructed tries. The other games were much more keenly contested. Silverdale held on against East Coast Bays to win 18-13, but only after a torrid struggle which saw Silverdale down to 14 men in the final few minutes as Bays mounted a constant assault on the line. And Western Pioneers, despite gaining a bonus point, were fully extended in their 30-19 win over Glenfield. Fullback Kyle Nu’ualiitia excelled for Western in a man-of-the match effort to collect 20 of the side’s points including two tries and to confirm the side’s second position on the table, just ahead of another “country” club, Silverdale.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 21:18:40 +0000
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