North Otago Rugby Review 28 May 2011

Valley ended Old Boys unbeaten run with a 21-20 win after the score had been tied at eight all at halftime.  Athletic beat Excelsior, 45-14 after leading 21-7 at halftime, while Kurow beat Maheno 29-20 in Kurow.

In a thriller a better disciplined Valley side believed in itself and scored two tries in the last three minutes to snatch a deserved victory.  The Valley pack outplayed the Old Boys eight in all facets apart from the line-outs, while Nick Webster and fullback Willy Guyton sorely tested the Old Boys defensive line.  Five minutes into the game from a penalty on the Old Boys 22, Valley opted for the lineout.  Half Hamish McKenzie went the blind to set up a rolling maul and flanker Sean Conlan was driven over.  Ben Patston, who was to leave the field in the first half with a hamstring injury, kicked his second attempt at a penalty in the 13th minute.  Old Boys which conceded a multitude of penalties gave Mark Roney an opportunity in the 18th minute and he duly obliged.  Old Boys had its best period at this stage and half Kilifi Fangupo scored an unconverted try to make it eight all at halftime.

Mid Way through the second spell replacement Tevita Tupou scored to put Old Boys in front 13-8.  Roney added his second penalty to narrow the deficit to two points with eleven minutes remaining.  It looked as though Old Boys had sealed the game when nine minutes from fulltime Nathan Oakes intercepted a pass to race 30 meters to score for Fangupo to convert.  But Valley was not to be denied as Webster surged over for a five pointer in the 77th minute and on fulltime McKenzie drove across for the winning points.

Athletic scored seven tries as it beat Excelsior, 45-14 with the highlight being a hat trick of tries to Athletic first five eighth Pio Tuatavake.  Athletic led 21-7 at halftime with Tuatavake scoring his three tries and Rob Payne converting all three, while for Excelsior Finlay Robson scored in the 25th minute for Jason Forrest to convert.  In the second half Athletic added four further tries with midfielder Faaitu Tuamoheloa getting two and Viliami Leo and Tevita Fifita, one each with Payne converting two of the tries.  Excelsior’s second half points came from a try to number eight Richard Wilson which was converted by Ray Gutsell.

First five eight Willie Tree set Kurow on the way to victory with a penalty, a try and a conversion to give the home side a 10-0 lead after 20 minutes.  Winger Dan Russell scored the first of his two tries and Tree’s conversion took Kurow out to a 17-0 lead before Maheno put points on the board with a Jeff Wright try.  A try to flanker Ross Hay early in the second half made it 17-10 before Rob Waldie converted Russell’s second try.  Maheno centre Chris Kirsten kicked a penalty before Hamish Elliott scored for Kurow to give his side a bonus point.  A late try to Stephen Smith converted by Kirsten completed the scoring.

Citizens Shield
Valley 21( Sean Conlan, Nick Webster, Hamish McKenzie tries; Mark Roney 2 pen, Old Boys 20 (Kilifi Fangupo, Tevita Tupou, Nathan Oakes tries; Ben Patston pen; Fangupo con) HT 8-8.

Athletic 45 ( Pio Tuatavake 3, Faaitu Tuamoheloa 2, Viliami Leo, Tevita Fifita tries; Rob Payne 5 con), Excelsior 14(Finlay Robson, Richard Wilson tries; Jason Forrest con; Ray Gutsell con) HT 21-7 Athletic.

Kurow 29 (Dan Russell 2, Willie Tree, Hamish Elliott tries; Tree pen, 2 con, Rob Waldie con), Maheno 20 (Jeff Wright, Ross Hay, Stephen Smith tries; Chris Kirsten pen, con) Ht 17-0 Kurow.

Secondary schools:
Southland Boys High School 72, St Kevin’s College 6
Waitaki Boys High School 41, South Otago High School 29

Next week’s draw:
Old Boys v Kurow
Valley v Athletic
Excelsior v Maheno

North Otago Rugby Review

North Otago Rugby Review
Kurow produced its best effort of the season against Athletic in Oamaru on Saturday and after leading 15-14 five minutes into the second half went down 31-20.  Valley was too strong for Excelsior and after leading 29-5 at halftime survived a strong second half comeback from Excelsior for a 43-22 win.  Unbeaten Old Boys led Maheno 32-3 at halftime and added a couple of converted tries in the second half for its 46-3 win.

Kurow dominated the forward exchanges especially at the breakdown and the line outs for most of the game but did not have the finishing power to profit from its possession.  Kurow produced some powerful mauling and pick and go but it was from one such move that it lost control and Athletics’ midfielder Pio Tuitavake scooped up the loose ball to score for Rob Payne to convert.  Seven minutes later Kurow drove inside the opposition 22 and created space for right winger Dan Russell to score.  Midway through the spell Athletics’ number eight Tevita Fifita barged over for Payne to convert.  Seven minutes from halftime Kurow drove from a lineout close to the Athletic line and impressive number eight Warwick Nel touched down to make it 14-10 at halftime.  Five minutes into the second half it was Nel who crossed from a tap penalty to give Kurow a 15-14 lead but Athletic hit back when halfback Sione Moalo took advantage of a Kurow handling error to score wide out.  Five minutes late a Kurow clearing kick was charged down and Athletics’ centre Nova Saone scored for Payne to convert.  Five minutes from fulltime replacement lock Aisake Fonua galloped across and right on fulltime Kurow’s prop Gareth Isbister drove over for an unconverted try.

Down at the Maheno Domain it was the Lemi Masoe show as the Old Boys three-quarter scored four tries as Old Boys took the game 46-3.  Old Boys raced out to a 10-0 lead after seven minutes with a try to Kilifi Fangupo with Ben Patston converting the try and adding a penalty.  Four minutes later Maheno centre Chris Kirsten kicked a penalty but from there on in it was all Old Boys.  Masoe touched down in the 15th, 21st, and 25th minutes with Patston converting one of the tries and just before halftime, left winger Una Ofa scored to give Old Boys a 32-3 lead.  In the second half Masoe scored his fourth try in the 43rd minute and winger Omega Masoe added the final try with Patston converting both tries.

Valley had the game all tied up at halftime out at Weston Park establishing a 29-5 halftime lead.  Valley locks Aaron McKay and Eric Duff both scored tries in the first quarter.  In the second quarter left winger Craig Kingan scored two tries and Hamish McKenzie one with Mark Roney converting two of the tries before Excelsior got on the board with an unconverted try from Willie Nehoff.  Excelsior struck early in the second half with a Jason Forrest penalty and a Richard Wilson try converted by Forrest to make it 29-15.  Valley centre Hamish Clare and second five eighth Nick Webster scored for Roney to convert and just on fulltime Matt Pearson scored for Excelsior with Forrest adding the conversion.

 Citizens Shield.Round  8
Old Boys 46(Lemi Masoe 4, Kilifi Fangupo, Omega Masoe, Ben Patston 5 con, 2 pen), Maheno 3(Chris Kirsten pen) HT:32-3 Old Boys.
Athletic 31( Pio Tutitavake, Tevita Fifita, Saone Moala, Nova Saone, Aisake Fonua tries; Rob Payne 3 con), Kurow 20(Warwick Nel2, Dan Russell , Gareth Isbister tries) HT: 14-10 Athletic.
Valley 43(Craig Kingan 2, Aaron McKay, Eric Duff, Hamish McKenzie, Hamish Clare, Nick Webster tries; Mark Roney 4 con), Excelsior 22(Willie Nehoff, Richard Wilson, Matt Pearson tries; Jason Forrest pen, 2 con).HT:29-5 Valley.

21May 2011

Presidents grade: Valley 58, Pareora 0.

North Otago Review 14 May 2011

Athletic did not have everything its own way against bottom team Maheno and after leading 12-8 at halftime took the game, 38-13.

Ben Patston kicked an early Old Boys penalty six minutes into the game but a dedicated Excelsior defence held its line until the end of the first quarter when Old Boys prop Jeremiah Shields surged over for Patston to convert.  Eleven minutes from halftime Excelsior turned over possession inside the Old Boys 22 and Patston sent right winger Stephen Keki racing 70 metres to score for Patston to convert.  Three minutes later another Excelsior turnover saw Keki race 50 metres to score an unconverted try and give Old Boys a 22-0 halftime lead.

Excelsior shook Old Boys in the first six minutes of the second half when impressive centre Christoph Bart weaved his way through to score.  Four minutes from a lineout five metres from the Old Boys line flanker and lineout exponent Tyson Sadd was driven over for Jason Forrest to convert.   Patston and Forrest swapped penalties to make it 25-15 before Old Boys midfielder Ofa Fatafehi split the defence to race 43 metres and score for Patston to convert.  Excelsior refused to lie down and from a tap penalty Excelsior half Ray Gutsell wriggled over for Forrest to convert to keep Excelsior within ten points of Old Boys.  Tevita Tupou extended Old Boys lead in the 72nd minute and a Patston break sent halfback Kilifi Fangupo in with Patston converting both tries.  Excelsior had the final say when fullback Chris Talanoa touched down.

It took Athletic Marist over 40 minutes to subdue Maheno after it led 12-8 at halftime through tries to Uilisoni Tsahitua and Viliami Leo with Rob Payne converting one.  Maheno kept in touch with a try to hooker Kieran Byrne and a penalty to Regan George.  In the second half Athletics’ half Sione Moala scored the first of his two tries which Payne converted and then Payne scored and converted to take Athletic Marist out to a 26-8 lead.  Tau Malu added Maheno’s second try but Moala added his second and prop Villami Uhatafe touched down with Payne converting Moala’s try.

Kurow was unlucky that it did not gain a bonus point against second placed Valley.  After 40 minutes it was all tied up at 7 all with prop Daniel Groundwater scoring for Mark Roney to convert for Valley while Wesley Wells scored for Kurow and Willie Tee added the conversion.  Roney put Valley back into the lead with a penalty in the 5th minute before Kurow’s Richard Gray scored to put Kurow in front 12-10.  Late tries to Billy Guyton and Hamish McKenzie both of which were converted by Roney pulled Valley through to a 24-12 win.

North Otago Rugby Results

Liquorland Oamaru Oast House Citizens Shield Game 7

Old Boys 46( Stephen Keki 2, Jeremiah Shields, Ofa Fatafehi, Tevita Tupou, Kilifi Fangupo tries; Ben Patston 5 con,pen), Excelsior 27(Chris Bart, Tyson Sadd, Ray Gutsell, Chris Talanoa tries; Jason Forrest 2 con, pen).HT: 22-0 Old Boys.

Athletic Marist 38 ( Sione Moala 2, Uilisoni Tahitua, Viliami Leo, Rob Payne , Viliame Uhatafe tries; Payne 4 con), Maheno 13( Kieran Byrne, Tau Malu tries; Regan George pen) HT:12-8 Athletic Marist.
Valley 24(Daniel Groundwater, Billy Guyton, Hamish McKenzie tries; Mark Roney 3 con, pen), Kurow 12( Wesley Wells, Richard Gray tries; Willie Tee con).HT:7-7

TEAM                        P            W            D            L            F            A            BP            PTS.
Old Boys                   7            7              0            0            335        101        5              33
Valley                        7            6              0            1            243         88         2              26
Athletic  Marist           7             4              0           3             253        104       4               20
Kurow                        7            3              0            4             124        193       2               14
Excelsior                   7            1             0             6             99         286        2                2
Maheno                     7            0              0             7             82        340         0               0

Next weeks draw: Maheno v Old Boys; Athletic Marist v Kurow; Valley v Excelsior.

Presidents Grade
Harlequins 34, Athletic 19
Secondary 
Waitaki Boys High Schiool 33, Kavanagh College 24; Menzies College 24, St Kevin’s College 10

North Otago Rugby Review

In, an at times bitter encounter in wet slippery conditions, Old Boys made it six from six when it defeated Athletic, 24-14 after Athletic had led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Valley maintained its second place with a 34-8 win over bottom team Maheno while in a Friday night game Kurow beat Excelsior 21-3 after Excelsior had led 3-0 at halftime.

Athletic shocked Old Boys in the first quarter when Old Boys first five eighth Ben Patston dropped a pass on his 22 and Athletic drove to the line where but a knock on gave Old Boys scrum possession.  Athletic turned the ball over and broke to the left where winger Sione Pangata dotted down wide out for first five eighth Rob Payne to convert from the sideline. Patston missed a penalty in the 12th minute before from a tap penalty Athletic lock Uilisoni Tahitua drove to halfway and Payne placed a superbly directed cross kick for Pangata who gathered in to score his second try.  Again Payne converted from wide out.

Patston kicked a penalty five minutes later to put Old Boys on the board and eleven minutes from halftime from a series of assaults on the Athletic line Old Boys prop Ralph Darling burrowed over on the short side.  A minute from halftime Old Boys moved the ball wide to the left where winger Stephen Keki made ground and from the resulting maul centre Lemi Masoe scored for Patston to convert and give his side a 15-14 lead at halftime.

Athletic was its own worst enemy in the final 40 minutes frequently turning over possession and being penalised for ill discipline.  The boot of Patston carried Old Boys home with three penalties.

Valley could not pick up a bonus point against bottom team Maheno at Weston even though it was always in control.  Maheno fullback Regan George kicked a penalty in the fifth minute but Valley’s fullback Mark Roney added penalties in the 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th minutes to give the home side a 12-3 lead.  A Hamish McKenzie try converted by Roney took Valley out to a 19-3 lead at halftime.  A fifth Roney penalty took his side out to 22-8 before Maheno flanker Ross Hay scored an unconverted try.  English prop Jamie Townsend scored his first try in New Zealand when he touched down for Roney to convert.  Late in the game flanker Cameron Rowland scored an unconverted try.  Mark Rooney’s 19 point contribution took his tally to 64 for the season.

A Jason Forrest penalty in the eighth minute was the only scoring in the game played under lights in Kurow on Friday night.  Kurow owned the second half however with flanker Michael Paterson scoring  two tries and Luke Pablecheque, one with Rob Waldie converting all three tries.