Shaquille Rangi had a powerful game at halfback for Kahurangi.
Kahurangi sits alone at the top of the Stuff Tasman Trophy club rugby competition after Saturday’s seventh round, where it came from behind to snatch a dramatic 35-34 victory over Waimea Old Boys in the battle of the two undefeated teams. The men from Riwaka have been front-runners for much of the season but faced the rare challenge of being behind late in Saturday’s game after giving up an early lead. Kahurangi led 12-0 within the first 15 minutes before crucial mistakes let Waimea Old Boys back into the contest, who dominated the second half to close the game right up. The lead then changed three times in the nail-biting final 10 minutes.
Marist prevailed over Awatere/Moutere combined, during an intense match at nelson s Trafalgar Park, on Saturday.
Marist banked its third win from four starts to solidify its place in the top four of the Stuff Tasman Trophy club rugby competition, with a runaway 66-7 victory over Awatere/Moutere at Trafalgar Park on Saturday. The home side controlled the contest as the scoreline would suggest, with lock Caleb Havili in rampant form with the ball in hand while young prop forward Henry Leef turned in an 80-minute effort and Rahiri Witehira turned in a barnstorming performance in midfield. “It was a good hit out for us but credit to the combined team who dig deep every week. We’ve got one more game at home with our Club Day this week, then our second bye and then it’s a gruelling end to the season for us, mostly on the road, so it was a good win for us, but we know we’ve got plenty of work ahead of us,” Marist coach Gavin Briggs said.
LUZ ZUNIGA/Stuff
Waimea Old Boys David Paulo scores a try, during their match against Marist, at Trafalgar Park on Saturday.
Waimea Old Boys and Marist produced a frenetic 80-minute game of rugby on Saturday which yielded 97 points and ended with Waimea Old Boys maintaining its perfect record after three weeks of the Stuff Tasman Trophy club rugby season. Elsewhere, Wanderers earned its first win of the season after two draws over the opening fortnight of the competition, coming from behind to defeat Stoke while Central and Kahurangi both moved into the top four with dominant performances. Waimea Old Boys and Marist have been difficult to split over recent seasons with the two sides being involved in many close fought encounters. Saturday proved no different, although it didn’t start that way.