Taradale Rugby Football Club is well on its way to securing its third consecutive Ray White Maddison Trophy Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby championship after a 22-17 victory over Napier Tech Old Boys. In a weekend where home teams lost all five Maddison Trophy and Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy games, Taradale scored three tries to two in a chilly match at Whitmore Park, Napier. Loose forward Iakopo Mapu came off the bench to score the match-winning third five-pointer, after the score was locked at 17-17 in the last 10 minutes. Taradale has won the Maddison Trophy nine times and qualified for playoffs 26 times since the competition was widened in 1988.
Tech has won the Nash Cup for two years in a row, with a draw and a two-point win, but the loss against Taradale sees them slip to third place, while first-year coach Namatahi Waa leads his team to the top spot. Central secured a 30-20 victory over Napier Old Boys Marist and guaranteed themselves a spot in the top four after a 16-year wait. Hastings Rugby and Sports triumphed over MAC with a score of 38-19, almost ending their hopes of making the playoffs.
In the coming weekend’s draw, Taradale will play against MAC, Tech will face NOB Marist, and Central will travel north to face Hastings R&S in Hastings.
In the Hepa Trophy Memorial games held over the weekend, Havelock North triumphed over Clive 34-16 at Clive, while Napier Pirate survived the trip to Dannevirke, winning 37-10 over Aotea.
Waa credited his team’s triumph to their building strength, the strength of the subbing-bench in 23-man rugby, and the obliging wind that died down in the second half. Ahead 10-3 at halftime, Taradale spent long periods in Tech territory, but the occasional strong wind blast enabled Tech, relieved from some heavy defence work at one end, to score two tries. Mapu’s try, however, clinched the victory for Taradale.
Central’s win was a significant one for coach Sam McNicol, who is also in his first season as a Premier coach. The team held the lead since scoring the first try of the game in the first ten minutes, finishing with four tries and denying NOB Marist a bonus point.
In Division 2 of the Tom Mulligan Cup, Napier Tech OB triumphed over Hastings R&S 38-19, while Waipawa Country United won over Otane 9-8 and Porangahau overcame Napier Pirate 7-5. In the Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy, Tamatea had a bye, and Havelock North defeated Clive 34-16, while Napier Pirate claimed a 37-10 away win at Aotea. Taradale emerged victorious over MAC by just two points in Division 2A, while Takapau overcame Havelock North 27-15, and Central beat Eskview 32-10.
Taradale also won their Division 3 match against Maraenui 22-15, while Clive secured a 6-0 win over Napier Pirate. Tamatea prevailed over Napier OBM 22-17 in Division 3A. Clive claimed a 71-0 victory over Napier Tech OB in the Colts – Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy, while Hastings R&S won over Taradale 22-5, and Onga-Tiko overcame Havelock North 15-5.
