Latest news with #Rātana
NZ Herald
18 hours ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui rugby: Strong second half powers Taihape to win
Taihape overcame a halftime deficit to beat Rātana on Saturday. Photo / Kate Belsham, Ivy Digital Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby Tāmata Hauhā Rātana's hopes of a repeat Tasman Tanning Premier semifinal appearance took a body blow in their only Pā game of the second round against a clinical Byfords Readimix Taihape on Saturday. The Barracks Challenge Shield holders knew one way and that
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui club rugby: Taihape edge Rātana in thrilling women's rugby clash
Rātana were assisted immeasurably by flanker Hayley Gabriel, an 11-game Taranaki standout, who scored a double. Their other tries came from fullback Acacia Kingi-Te Koari and halfback Unique Haami-Rerekura, while Armani Martin added three conversions. Sitting four points ahead of Rātana in the race for a home semifinal, Taihape will look to keep momentum going when they host Hunterville at Memorial Park tonight, while Rātana have the big test on home turf in the Pa on Saturday, facing the unbeaten AGC Training Marist Clovers. Hunterville are also hunting points as they now sit outside the top four after a tough game with fellow newcomers the Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls, as the Manawatū club made it two wins in a row with a 29-22 away victory. Bulls first five Alyse Bird continued her great form with 14 points from two tries and two conversions, with the other tries coming from fullback Sinead Barrell, second five Aaone Sio and lock Kat Penny-Baker. The home side has the Hendersons – skipper and lock Brooke, along with flanker Chloe – who scored two tries between them. Winger Amoe Harawira dotted down, as did one of the Tipus - No 8 Shayden and halfback Shyana – while fullback Charlize Cook added a conversion. Bulls now have the chance to go for three straight wins against Marton Queenbeez at home tonight. Draw May 23: Bulls vs Marton, Bulls Domain, 6.30pm; Taihape vs Hunterville, Memorial Park, 7pm; May 24: Rātana vs Marist, Pa, 1pm. Senior competition Border Seniors have the first victory of the season under their belts and a chance at some silverware coming up, but their biggest goal this year is confirming the future of their club. The dichotomy out in South Taranaki for the past decade is at Tasman Tanning Premier level. Waverley Harvesting Border have been undisputed powerhouses, while their Senior team have struggled for traction, and at times even to keep a full squad together. But addressing these issues this season is arguably the most well-qualified coaching and management group in the whole Senior grade. Having coached the Border Premiers to their inaugural title in 2016 and then winning the Taranaki Premier title last year with the Stratford-Eltham club, Ross Williams came back to Dallison Park to help build up the B team, being joined by former Marist Premier coach Jerome McCrea. Also lending their forwards expertise are two retiring stalwarts from the Border Premier title five-peat: former captain Angus Middleton and front rower Hamish Mellow. Provided with elite-level structure, Border were competitive in defeat from their first four games, averaging nearly 17 points while conceding 35 per match, certainly not blowouts. Then it clicked at home last Saturday with a 35-14 win over Bennett's Taihape to move into the top eight. Although the side had the services of Premier and former Whanganui outside back Harry Symes, the regulars led the way with centre William Black scoring two tries, while flanker Zane Annabell, halfback Kobe Pene and reserve front-rower Reefton Pene also dotted down. Williams is enjoying working alongside McCrea, Middleton and Mellow in rearing this rookie team. 'To be a sustainable model, they need a B team and they need to grow the guys in the town – they're the future of the club. 'We haven't had a lot of time together so every week, the more time together, the more they gel. 'They're enjoying the trainings because they're organised. There's quite a bit of care shown towards the group and within the group, which I think gets the best out of them.' It sets Border up for their Whanganui Challenge Shield away match with McCrea Scanning Counties, which ironically pits the coaching group up against their mates from Border's Premier title wins, Lindsay Horrocks and Bryn Hudson. Draw May 24, 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change): Utiku Old Boys vs Ruapehu, Memorial Park; Hunterville vs Taihape, Hunterville Domain; Kaierau vs Pirates, Country Club; Marist Celtic vs Marist Knights, Spriggens Park; Counties vs Border, Macnab Domain (2pm).
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui club rugby: Undefeated Marist and Rātana clash in women's showdown
In the earlier matchup, Rātana fullback Carrie Rennie had a massive game with four tries and three conversions for a 26-point haul, while first-five Armani Martin scored 19 points from a try and seven conversions. Doubles came from flanker Te Amorangi Karaitiana and winger Lee Arna Nepia. However, there was a cheer for the Queenbeez' first points of the campaign, with winger Farren Rowe scoring a try. It sets up a big Saturday for the Queenbeez, who have their best chance of an inaugural win in the competition when they host the newcomers Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls, who will be looking to do the same. Bulls lost last week at Memorial Park to defending champions Byfords Construction Taihape 48-10, with Taihape's former Black Fern Ruth McKay scoring two tries at hooker. Marist had to play Hunterville without their inspirational prop Lavenia Nauga-Grey, who joined club-mate Talawadua in becoming a fully-fledged international player. Nauga-Grey came off the bench for the Fijiana in their test match against Australia in Suva on Saturday, with the Wallaroos winning their first-ever game in Fiji, 43-7. Draw May 8: Marist vs Rātana, Cooks Gardens, 6.30pm May 9: Marton vs Bulls, Marton Park, 1pm. Hunterville def to Taihape. Senior competition They can be the Jekyll and Hyde team of Tasman Tanning Senior, but when the crew of Seales Winslow Pirates are on song, you underestimate them at your peril. Beaten seventh-placed quarter-finalists last year by eventual champions Utiku Old Boys, Pirates got payback on that game in the opening round this season, shocking their hosts 20-17 at Memorial Park. Expectations had to be tempered in Week 2 after a heavy 53-12 loss at Spriggens Park to contenders McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu, but the team righted themselves last weekend with a 29-12 away win over Border at Dallison Park. It sets up a big clash on Saturday for the Whanganui Challenge Shield with holders McCrea Scanning Counties. 'That Border game was a bit scrappy, just because we had a few new boys playing, we just gave them a run and it got a bit messy,' said Pirates coach Matt Davis. 'But this week, we'll put our best team on the field because Counties look like they're a pretty good team. 'We've got a couple of cups on the line – we've got a local one that's played between Counties and Pirates that we play for every year.' Like last year, Pirates will look to bring in some noteworthy Fijian talent, but currently two of them are hurt among other regulars having to sit out. 'We haven't really had the same team every week, we've got a couple of injuries to key players at the moment,' said Davis. Advertise with NZME. 'We're sort of down on the Fijian [numbers of] boys – they're still out of town, but we're getting good numbers – it's just those injuries are hurting us at the moment. 'We're still trying to play that flair style, but it's just a bit hard at the moment, we don't really have the cattle to do it, but we're still trying.' Eager to get their hands on the Shield, Pirates want to set themselves up to become a Top 4 team and earn a home quarterfinal. They are skippered once again by hooker Josh Callaghan, while young flanker Tatara Cook continues to impress. Prop Uriah Toru has scored two tries, while backing up the front row on the bench is the evergreen war horse Brett Turner, 24 caps for Steelform Whanganui and a Meads Cup winner. 1pm kickoffs unless noted (times subject to change): May 9: Hunterville vs Ruapehu, Memorial Park (7pm)
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui club rugby: Marist and Border chase first win of season
Therefore, both Marist and Border need their first on-field win, given Byfords Readi-Mix Taihape will pocket five points on their break this weekend, while the undefeated Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau travel to the Pa to meet Rātana in what should be an absolutely barnstorming Barracks Challenge Shield match due to the talent in both backlines. The other big incentive for the Spriggens game is the inter-club Jake Alabaster Memorial Shield, named for the young utility forward who played for both clubs before passing away in 2017, aged 24. Since its introduction in 2018, Marist have held the shield only twice, the last time being when they defeated Border in the first round of games in the 2019 season, 27-25. There have been chances – none better than the first-round games last year when a very understrength Marist travelled to Dallison Park and played above themselves, before Border first-five Tyrone Albert slotted a penalty with less than one minute left for a 32-29 win. Their veterans, like redoubtable prop Renato Tikoisolomone, outside back Tom Symes and lock Jack Hodges, are the surviving front-line players from the last era where Marist could beat Border semi-regularly, before the Waverley club started their magnificent five-straight championship run. Star midfielder Alekesio Vakarorogo was injured for the Rātana game but Border have been well-served by their other Fijian backs Silio Waqalevu and Rusiate Lalanabaravi – the latter doing some awesome offloads to set up winger tries. Marist have very few front-liners left from the 2018-19 seasons. Their success hinges on the efforts of play-makers Daniel Kauika and Wiremu Morgan, and a strong loose-forward trio in Samu Kubunavanua, Brett Joyes and Jayden Lower. May 10, 2.35pm kickoffs
NZ Herald
24-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui rugby: Taihape and Marist face off in title contender clash
Fullback Brooklyn Walker, who had an excellent 2024 as she switched from the Manawatu Wahine Development squad to link up with the Taranaki Whio in the Farah Palmer Cup, scored 33 points from five tries and four conversions. Marist welcomed the newcomers from the Manawatu in Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls with a jarring 91-5 defeat at Cullinane College. Another Taranaki debutant in 2024, Paris Munro scored a hat-trick of tries, while Whanganui goal-kicking winger Alice Ireton had a 22-point haul from two tries and six conversions. As well as that top-of-the-table clash, third-place Silks Audit Rātana will look to keep momentum going when they travel to Bulls Domain, as Bulls RSC have their first home competition match after their formation for this season. Semifinalists in their debut season last year, Rātana have already racked up a victory over a brand-new team, as they defeated Hunterville 64-12 on opening night at Cooks Gardens. And this means there will be plenty of passion on the line-up at the Hunterville RFC grounds as their new team has their first home game against Rangitīkei neighbours Marton. Both sides have their chance to register their first-ever victory, with 2023 foundation team, the Queenbeez, having waited a long time to have the chance to get that precious win. Draw, April 25 Taihape vs Marist, Memorial Park, 1.30pm; Bulls vs Rātana, Bulls Domain, 4pm; Hunterville vs Marton, Hunterville, 4.30pm.
