Tasman Makos: News

Nelson Club season start sees close scores
08-Apr-2010

Wayne Martin - Nelson Mail
Stoke kept Waimea Old Boys at arm's length to kickstart their Car Company Nelson Bays senior club rugby campaign with a 16-10 win at Greenmeadows.

It typified a day of tight results in yesterday's opening round, with Wakatu Marist producing a late rally to beat New World Huia 15-10 at Tahunanui. However, Enza Riwaka's season has already taken an ominous turn after a lack of players forced them to default their match against Nelson.

Accessman Stoke's comfort zone was minimal at Greenmeadows, holding on over some tense final moments as Stables Waimea mounted a series of attacks inside Stoke's quarter. But as they'd done throughout, Stoke's defence held firm to deny Waimea the converted try they needed.

The eventual try tally stood at one each after fullback Gareth McIlroy was put into space by his centre Sione Holani to help give Stoke a 10-0 lead after 14 minutes, first five-eighth Kris McNicholl having kicked an earlier penalty.

It appeared to signal Stoke's intentions of unleashing a potentially threatening set of backs in which Holani, McIlroy and right winger Leon Guerin played conspicuous roles.

However, the reality proved very different with Waimea's defence scrambling effectively to restrict the home team to a 10-0 halftime lead.

When Waimea flanker Kerry O'Connor barged across from a quick tap penalty by halfback Kaide Whiting near Stoke's line just five minutes after the restart, the whole tenor of the match appeared to shift.

Although Stoke's backs still threatened to penetrate, Waimea's defence always found the necessary counters. Both sets of forwards enjoyed periods of ascendancy although the set phase execution of both teams, particularly at lineouts, often turned ball winning into a lottery.

Waimea lock and captain Ben Coman was held up over the line in just the fourth minute of play as an early indication of the pack's capacity to create genuine problems. But apart from the accomplished efforts of Whiting at halfback, the backline rarely threatened to build any sustained attacking momentum.

Marist 15 Huia 10

Three tries in the final quarter pushed Marist to a dramatic win at Tahunanui after Huia had held a 10-0 lead at the break.

Marist's final try, and the second to winger Marcos Nairiaria, came right on fulltime to break a 10-all deadlock as both teams had looked set to share the championship points. But a turnover inside Huia's own half proved costly, Nairiaria eventually worked free to sprint about 50m for the match-winning try.

A penalty by first five-eighth Brenton Krammer had given Huia an early 3-0 lead before smart following up from a missed penalty kick saw winger Lofu Niue score to push Huia further ahead at 10-0.

Huia's points lead did justice to a clear territorial edge that they were able to command until well into the second half. But some key backline changes, with George Westenra moving to first five-eighth and Rudolf Meredith at second five-eighth, gave Marist the attacking punch they needed to eventually set up a late win.

Nairiaria finally got Marist on the board when he capped off a long-range attacking movement, before centre Mike Pehi also crossed in similar circumstances to level the scores at 10-all.

Then, with time effectively up, Nairiaria struck again to wrench victory away from a hard-working Huia team. Huia hooker James Mei made a significant impression with some bruising ball-carrying, with lock Wiremu Grace and flanker Dan Crowther, particularly in the first half, also conspicuous contributors.

Krammer, halfback Edwin Ainley and fullback Ricky Benge also impressed.

Props Paa Thompson and Laman Davies were key figures in Marist's forward effort and lock Kahu Marfell's organisational skills also proved crucial.

Flanker Matt Leary had a lively game and lock Peter Brown won some vital lineout ball.

Stoke 16 (Gareth McIlroy try, Kris McNicholl 3 pens, con) WOB 10 (Kerry O'Connor try, Kaide Whiting, pen, con) Ht 10-0.

Marist 15 (Marco Nairiaria 2, Mike Pehi tries) Huia 10 (Lofi Nuie try, Brenton Krammer pen, con) Ht 0-10.

Nelson beat Riwaka by default.