Rugby: Taieri demolishes Green Island

Zingari-Richmond  second five-eighth Willie Ripia (left) and team-mate Ciaran Jansen celebrate...
Zingari-Richmond second five-eighth Willie Ripia (left) and team-mate Ciaran Jansen celebrate after Ripia scored a try during the Dunedin premier match at Montecillo on Saturday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Stephen Fenemor kept his nerve and played a key role for University A when it retained third spot in the Gallaway Trophy on Saturday.

He returned to premier rugby a month ago after surgery to his left knee that kept him sidelined for most of the season.

The lack of a reliable goal kicker has been a problem for the students most of the year. Fenemor solved this problem and kicked six goals from eight attempts and scored all the students' points when Harbour was beaten 22-17.

Taieri won the Gallaway Trophy with 83 points and was followed by Southern 72, University A 63, Dunedin 59, Harbour 50, Kaikorai 43, Zingari-Richmond 43, Alhambra-Union 42, Green Island 6, Pirates 6.

First five-eighth Josh Casey scored a record 47 points in Taieri's 127-12 win over Green Island, and Willie Ripia (Zingari-Richmond) became the seventh player to reach 100 points this winter when he scored 27 points against Dunedin.

Taieri 127
Green Island 12

Taieri was ruthlessly clinical as it ran rampant over a shell-shocked Green Island side at Peter Johnstone Park.

The emphatic victory sealed Taieri's clean sweep of all the round-robin trophies this season. The only remaining space to fill in the trophy cabinet will be the banner.

The score surpassed the previous best of 99-3 established by University A when it beat University B in 2008. In scoring 19 tries, Taieri passed the previous best of 15 scored by University A (twice) and Dunedin.

And the individual tally of 47 points scored by first five-eighth Josh Casey surpassed the previous best in a match of 42 points scored by Guy Curtis (University A).

Green Island kept the game scoreless for the first three minutes, but that was the only glimmer of light on one of the club's darkest days.

Taieri was simply a class above, running in its bonus-point try in just the 11th minute, and stretching it out to a 70-0 halftime lead.

The Eels displayed classy handling skills, and forwards Aki Seiuli, Henry Parker and Nick McLennan were ruthless with the ball in hand, creating space for an all-round team effort.

Taieri 127 (Kori Rupene 4, Josh Casey 3, Michael Collins 2, Brodie Hume, Kurt Webster, Aki Seiuli, Mike McKee, James Lentjes, Shannon Young, Charlie O'Connell, Willis Scott, Kurt Schrader, Kieran Moffat tries; Josh Casey 16 con), Green Island 12 (James Spooner, Mike Bennett tries; Hayden McBride con). Halftime: 70-0.

University A 22
Harbour 17

Ill discipline by Harbour proved costly and was punished by University A first five-eighth Stephen Fenemor at the University Oval.

Fenemor kicked six goals from eight attempts and also scored a try to score all the students' 22 points.

Harbour was guilty of conceding penalties in kickable positions and Fenemor kicked five goals to give the students a 15-5 lead at halftime.

The University defence was well organised and Harbour failed to break the advantage line in the first half.

Harbour came out with more fire in the second spell and took the lead, 17-15, by scoring two tries in the first 14 minutes.

The Hawks were dominant in the lineout and had a slight edge in the scrums. Blindside flanker Hale T-Pole was the best forward on the paddock with his aggression with the ball in hand, hard tackling and his dominance in the lineout, where he made eight clean takes.

Hooker Pete Mirrielees was aggressive with the pick and go and was rewarded with two tries.

The students took back the lead when Fenemor scored after a charge-down within the Harbour 22m.

Fenemor and halfback Nick Annear were the best backs on the paddock, while the best University forwards were openside flanker Jack Wolfreys and hooker Sam Sturgess.

Harbour's task was made difficult because it lost two players to the sin bin during the game.

University A 22 (Stephen Fenemor try; Fenemor con, 5 pen), Harbour 17 (Pete Mirrielees 2, Nick Ealey tries; Ollie Cuthill con). Halftime: 15-5.

Southern 54
Pirates 12

Southern subs made a difference in the second half when Pirates was beaten at Bathgate Park.

The Pirates forwards had been in dominant mood in the first spell and restricted Southern to a 19-7 lead at the break.

No 8 Solomon T-Pole, hooker Hisa Sasagi and prop Sekonaia T-Pole were aggressive carrying the ball and made numerous bursts through the centre, and the Southern defence struggled to control them.

Southern showed a lack of discipline in the first half and conceded penalties and allowed Pirates to get the advantage at the breakdown.

Two of Southern's three first-half tries came from breaks from the Pirates 10m mark when winger Josh Gordon and flanker TJ Ioane scored.

It was a different story in the second half, when replacement lock Jarrad Hoeata gave solidity to the Southern pack.

Experienced first five-eighth Ben Patston kept Pirates pinned within its own 22m with long, raking touch-finders.

Patston gave direction to the backline and his long cut-out passes gave the outsides more room as Southern scored five more tries. Patston converted them all.

Patston and halfback Josh Walden were an efficient unit and centre Nathan Cargo and fullback Bryce Hosie added pace to the backline. Openside flanker Josh Tye and lock Tim Ferguson were the best Southern forwards.

The best Pirates backs were winger Scott Emmerson, and Will Scorgie and Marshall Suckling in the midfield.

Southern 54 (Bryce Hosie, Josh Gordon, Nathan Cargo, Tei Walden, Lafaele Faamoe, Josh Tye, Jarrad Hoeata, TJ Ioane tries; Hosie 2 con, Ben Patston 5 con), Pirates 12 (Scott Emmerson, Hisa Sasagi tries; Craig Sneddon con). Halftime: 19-7.

Kaikorai 50
Alhambra-Union 24

Otago fullback Tony Ensor scored a hat trick of tries as Kaikorai ended its season with an emphatic win over Alhambra-Union at the North Ground.

Kaikorai scored eight tries to four in a free-flowing game in which its support play and intelligent use of the chip kick were key factors.

Alhambra-Union contributed plenty to the match but Kaikorai was more urgent when it mattered and its backline was well marshalled by Josh Renton, Matt Te Tana and Cameron Rutherford.

Ensor was in sparkling form from the back and scored his third try when he gathered an awkward pass on his fingertips before outpacing the defence.

There was plenty of pace in the Kaikorai backs while captain Lee Allan and Kyle Harris were excellent flankers who were constantly on the shoulder of the ball carrier.

Graham Cashmore had an outstanding all-round game at No 8 for Alhambra-Union and, had his team-mates all played to his standard, the final score would have been much closer.

Ben Pereira ran with the pace of a back from the openside flank and scored a fine solo try, while Mike Colville produced his usual workmanlike display from lock.

Caleb Gray was a terrier-like halfback and was rewarded with two tries and Jason Emery was always a threat in midfield but Alhambra-Union missed the boot and steadying influence of Peter Breen.

It was a disappointing end to the season for Alhambra-Union, which had promised better, but consolation for Kaikorai after a late-season slump.

Kaikorai 50 (Tony Ensor 3, Bryce Morgan 2, Lee Allan, Kyle Harris, Danny van der Voort tries, Cam Rutherford 4 con, Matt Direen con), Alhambra-Union 24 (Caleb Gray 2, Jason Emery, Ben Pereira tries; Noah Cooper 2 con). Halftime: 17-10.

Zingari-Richmond 52
Dunedin 34

Zingari recorded a fourth straight win and beat Dunedin for the first time this century.

Zingari had the game won by halftime as its big pack totally dominated Dunedin in the first spell.

Joe Latta and Tom Rowe dominated at lineout time, as Dunedin only won one in the first half. With a massive amount of possession and territory, Latta scored two tries from forward drives.

When the forwards could not score, they flung the ball to centre Lachie Moore to canter over for a brace, through some woeful backline defence.

Dunedin ventured into the Zingari 22m once in the first spell for fullback Rowan Mckenzie to score, reducing the margin to 21 points at the break.

An under-strength Dunedin team played with more commitment in the second half as first five Greg Dyer and No 8 Hame Toma threatened to beat Zingari on their own.

The Sharks got within six points and the comeback looked on, but their total lack of discipline was the telling factor.

At one stage, Dunedin was marched 40m, and Tumua Ioane was sent to the bin for dissent.

Willie Ripia kicked three penalties and pulled off an intercept try to keep Zingari in front. Fittingly, the forwards drove 25m late in the game for the gargantuan Colin Enright to crash over and raise 50.

For Zingari, Ripia was outstanding in the midfield with his uncanny kicking game which took the game away from Dunedin. Latta led from the front, and Zingari nearly fell apart when he left the paddock with 30 minutes to go.

Masiu Akaulou was into everything in the front row and flanker Steve Roberts got through a lot of tackling.

Greg Dyer and Hame Toma were outstanding for Dunedin, and prop Joe Dobson - in his 50th game - was its best tight forward. Sadly, the rest were a long way from satisfactory.

Zingari-Richmond 52 (Joe Latta 2, Lachie Moore 2, Willie Ripia, Colin Enright tries; Ripia 5 con, 4 pen), Dunedin 34 (Rowan Mckenzie 2, Greg Dyer 2, Richard Thompson tries; Dyer 3 con, pen). Halftime: 29-8.

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