Young backs instrumental in Tech's win

BY EVAN PEGDEN

It was the young back brigade who carried Fraser-Tech to an impressive second-half comeback to win the repeat of last year's Waikato premier club rugby grand final when the new season opened on Saturday.

Shenanigans Irish Pub Fraser-Tech turned around a 10-point half-time deficit to beat Wagon Wheel Bakery Morrinsville Sports 42-26 in Hamilton to be one of three teams to take maximum points out of week one of the preliminary round.

The others were Hamilton Marist, who scored an impressive 37-22 away win over APL Hautapu in Cambridge, and Te Awamutu Sports, who hammered Reid and Harrison United Matamata Sports 67-0 in Te Awamutu.

Also kicking off the season with victories were Hamilton Old Boys, who downed OTC/Freightlines Otorohanga 15-10 in Hamilton, Melville, who snatched a dramatic home win from under the noses of Seafood Bazaar Te Rapa 21-19, and University, who had Chiefs and All Blacks first five-eighth Stephen Donald sideline as one of their coaches as they came from behind in the final quarter at Taupiri to beat Taupiri Tavern Taupiri 28-18.

Fraser-Tech42

Morrinsville Sports26

Nathan Lamb's boot made the difference on the scoreboard in this thriller that saw each side score four tries and have turns at dominance in a free-flowing match at Elliott Park.

While fullback Lamb kicked two conversions and five penalty goals after taking over the goal-kicking from injured first five-eighth Sam Christie early on for a 19-point haul, it was also the subsequent backline reshuffle that thrust some young potential stars into the limelight with Trent Nattress moving in one spot to first-five and Jason Fly coming on outside him to combine impressively with hard-running centre and captain Tyron Child, while left winger Glen Robertson created constantly in counterattack with his pace and vision.

But Tech took a long time to find their way in this match, some early defensive lapses, poor cleanout at the breakdowns and a lack of overall direction costing them as big centre Dan Spencer, mobile hooker Tom Rowling and halfback Logan McIntyre grabbed tries for Morrinsville to a solitary touchdown by Nattress for a 21-11 half-time advantage.

It had not helped that Tech played the last nine minutes of the first half with tight-head prop Richard Johnston in the sin-bin but once they were restored to 15 they kicked away with three tries of their own to Robertson, powerful lock Brad Mitchell and Child plus four penalties from Lamb.

Morrinsville replacement prop Steve Lowe got his team within six points with seven minutes to go but the home side scored the last 10 points.

Morrinsville were without injured captain and Waikato No8 Alex Bradley.

Hamilton Old Boys15

Otorohanga10

At Fred Jones Park, Hamilton Old Boys had to score two tries late in the second half in order to get up and beat Otorohanga, John Holt reports.

Both sides endeavoured to play enterprising rugby throughout an evenly contested match, but a high error rate from both teams made the match a stop-start affair.

Hooker Vance Elliott scored the opening points for Old Boys with a clever try in the 19th minute of the first half, driving over to score following a set move from a 5m lineout that fooled the Otorohanga defence.

His marker Sean Wanden replied a few minutes later, claiming a try after the visiting side's forward pack drove over the Old Boys goal line, with Jesse Martin's successful conversion giving the Otorohanga side a narrow 7-5 half-time lead.

With the wind at their backs in the second spell, the visiting side then failed to nail the match.

Several try-scoring chances were muffed, and penalty goals missed, before Martin was finally successful with a penalty kick in the 25th minute, increasing the lead to 10-5.

Old Boys then finally managed to string passes together without error and scored two late tries as the Otorohanga defence tired. Henry Speight beat several defenders to score in the right-hand corner in the 32nd minute, and replacement back Matt Kenny strolled over to score the winning try unopposed in the 37th minute.

Hamilton Marist37

Hautapu22

This match at Memorial Park was controlled in the second half by a Marist forward pack able to lock up the ball for long periods.

Marist led 15-10 at the end of an even first half where an 80m intercept try by Marist midfielder Phil Mourits was the difference.

But Hautapu were ground down in the second stanza by the Marist pack, which used the rolling maul to telling effect, and were forced into mistakes, trying to play catch-up football.

It was an all-round pack effort from the visitors, who scored four of their six tries in the second half, while wider out wing Frank Halai was dangerous with ball in hand.

Hautapu, for whom fullback Bauro Kairaoi and wing Ruamai Erueti were exciting attackers, scored just before fulltime as a number of teenage first-timers finally got their act together.

Melville21

Te Rapa19

Newly promoted Te Rapa thought they had this one wrapped up at Collins Rd when No8 Tanginoa Nimo scored from a scrum to take the lead with time almost up.

All they had to do was secure the kickoff and put the ball out of play to seal victory, but instead Melville halfback Matty Hogg came up with it and powered 30 metres up the middle to launch an irresistible attack, finally finished out wide by centre Jimmy Horsford who scored the winner untouched.

Melville had led 13-5 at halftime with a slight edge up front in the scrums and driving mauls and first-five Logan Fisher controlling things in the pivot. Hooker John Otto finished off a 60m sweeping move with the first try but in the second half Te Rapa found their structure and scored three tries, playing most of the rugby and in young school-leaver centre Chauncy Edwardson had the best back on the park.

But they often lacked finish and through small errors allowed the home side to stay in the game and snatch it at the end.

University28

Taupiri18University led 16-7 at halftime on a wind-swept Murphy Field but found themselves behind going into the final quarter when Taupiri scored a converted try and penalty goal in the first 10 minutes after the break.

The students then awoke from their slumber and kicked away, standout goal-kicking winger Joshua Satcliffe, who contributed 24 points, producing a brilliant individual try that included two regathered chips from 60m out.

No8 Sione Taufa ran 40m off the back of a lineout for one of his two tries, while young open-side flanker Eli Atkins was the outstanding figure for University.

Halfback and captain Grant Litt played well for Taupiri, as did open-sider Brodie Locke, while Sam Fletcher controlled things well in midfield.

Te Awamutu Sports67

Utd Matamata Sports0

It was one-way traffic at Albert Park where fullback Jordan Craig scored three of the home side's 10 tries and Te Awamutu had a bonus point inside 25 minutes.

Ryan Meacheam also scored a try and converted seven of them, as well as kicking a penalty goal for a 22-point haul.

Craig looked sharp coming into the backline for his hat-trick of tries and second five-eighth Leon Emery had a solid game on both attack and defence for Te Awamutu behind a dominant forward pack.

- © Fairfax NZ News