It was a fitting starter for the Manawatū club’s rugby season that two of the three matches were recorded at death.
Kia Toa’s Alex Boblea kicked the winning penalty in the final act to trump a challenging Te Kawau 28-26 at Bill Brown Park on Saturday.
Last season’s runners-up Old Boys-Marist produced two penalties in the final six minutes and a full-time rolling maul effort to defend the defending Hankins Shield champion College Old Boys 39-29 at the Arena.
Kia Toa had rolled out to 22-7 early in the second period after scoring four tries and had he not attacked impatiently on the green line it would have been until Te Kawau stormed back with three tries.
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Kias had started off with a monster scrum and an imperious lineout around Turbo’s lock Ofa Tauatevalu.
They were best able to go through forwards Malakai Hala-Ngatai of the Hurricanes 20s, whore Sase Va’a and veteran flanker Bethel Fau’olo, but once they went wide the backs were often ducks.
Te Kawau sent an ominous warning that they loved the loose ball, particularly Manawatū fullback Adam Boult, first five Kody Edwards and speedy young winger Tadhg O’Connor.
Te Kawau fouls helped Kias’ case, but they lost three injured players in a short period of time, including Tauatevalu (headbutt).
Kia Toa’s dynamic halfback Jakob Rauhihi-Collis snatched a loose ball 75 yards out for a spectacular try.
It wasn’t enough though, as Te Kawau had Lock Taylor Lowe, a dairy farmer from Dannevirke, and Nr. after a Boult conversion from wide out.
A lazy shoulder strike gave Boblea the winning penalty shot.
Stuff
College Old Boys whore Vernon Bason, below, takes the ball against Old Boys-Marist.
In a tight match at the Arena, characterized by terrible handling in the wet and constant knock-ons, it seemed until the last 10 minutes CORN COB would go away and conquer Old Boys Marist.
But OBM starved COB off the ball in the last 10 and the first five Aidan Champion stepped up, a huge kick setting up a try.
In the end the margin was five against two attempts. OBM had a slight lead in the game, but COB, even without Hurricanes under-20 halfback Jordi Viljoen and three-quarter Waqa Nalaga, looked better on offense in the first half without completing enough moves.
They had the burly Timoci Seruwalu dangerous in midfield, while another Hurricanes 20s player, first-five Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula controlled the first 40.
When COB’s two old-timers, Andre Taylor and former coach Sonny Waqatairewa rolled on after the break, they made the difference. But neither team got away until the last 10 when COB had led 29-26.
The OBM offensive trio of Matene Ruawai, hooker Chris Cairns and flanker Rhys Pedersen was interested in everything.
Varsity won the inaugural Robin “Digger” Doyle Memorial Trophy with a 40-5 victory Freyberg at Massey University, running over them in the last quarter. Doyle, who was involved with both clubs, passed away earlier this year.
Varisty dominated the lineouts and with a turbocharged Tyler Laubscher returning from injury off the bench, they had too much firepower for Freyberg.
The Freys striker had some muscle, but they conceded too many penalties and offered little in the back. Varsity, who led 12-5 at half-time, played with more control and their kicking play kept Freyberg pinned in their end.
Freyberg could not win a lineout as Varsity slot Mickey Woolliams and No. 8 Julian Goerke took it all until Woolliams went off in the second half with a lower leg injury.
The students had most of the ball possession and became more and more menacing as the game progressed.
They were assisted by Freyberg who conceded several first-half penalties, including when midfielder Sheriff Fetu was sinned just before half-time for a foul on their line.
Freyberg front rowers Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou and Raymond Tuputupu fired huge shots at the defense and support Darius Mafile’o made big strides when he picked up the ball.
They pushed Varisty back into the scrums in the first half.
Laubshcer made a big impression in the second half, scoring an almost untouched try from the back of a scrum and would have had a second had he not knocked.
He set up a Scott Davidson try by loading and unloading 40 yards from a scrum.
Elusive Hurricanes 20s fullback Sam Coles looked like a good asset to Varsity, flanker Joe Tako’s straight runs in the first half gave them front foot and second five Taiaha Mangu ran hard.
Freyberg’s other star was Jekope Kitou, a workhorse.
Fields said goodbye.
goalscorers:
Let’s win 28 (Ofa Tauatevalu, Tevita Asi, Malakai Hala-Ngatai, Alex Boblea, tries; Jakob Rauhihi-Collis con; Boblea 2 pen) Rule 26 (Kody Edwards, Jeremy David, Shaun Lawton-Sue, Copper Tanoa, Tries; Edwards 2 with Adam Boult with) HT 17-7.
OB Marist 39 (Chris Cairns 2, Rhys Pedersen, Max Harris, Ollie Brosnahan, tries; Aidan Champion 4 con, 2 pen) College OB 29 (Rupeni Tamanikayaroi, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, tries; Armstrong-Ravula 2 con, 5 pen) HT 19-16.
Variety 40 (Reece Brosnan, Taiaha Mangu, Joe Tako, Tyler Laubscher, Moses Armstrong-Ravula, Scott Davidson tries; Davidson 4 con, Logan Henry con) Freyberg 5 (Sheriff Fetu tries). HT: 12-5.
This week’s draw: At Kawau against OB-Marist, Rongotea; Varsity v. Fielding, Massey University; COB v. Freyberg, Arena; Bye Toa.
Horowhenua Kapiti Results: At Shannon Domain: College OB 43 Shannon 32. At Levin Domain: Rāhui 74 Wanderers 0. At Waikanae Park: Waikanae 23. Foxton 21. Paraparaumu bye.