Round seven of the Southland Premier Grade Club Rugby Competition is predicted to produce three hard-fought games this Saturday.
Invercargill Blues are aiming for their first win of the season when they take on Marist at Miller St.
Woodlands have the firepower to topple Pirates Old Boys, while Star and the Eastern Northern Barbarians are set for a bruising encounter at Waverly Park.
With duck-shooting taking precedence last Saturday, the round six games were played during the week. The Barbarians were keen to put a couple of disappointing performances behind them and get back on track by shooting down the previously unbeaten Hawks.
On a cold, wet and windy Thursday night in Gore, the locals started best into the wind, but after a scoreless 20 minutes it was Pirates Old Boys who scored first when centre Jaye Thompson used his speed to glide around the outside of a tight forward to score.
Second five-eighth Napo Seru barged over for the next try. Kaea Nikora-Balloch landed his second conversion and then a penalty goal for the Hawks to go into halftime leading 17 nil.
Barbarians coach Bretton Taylor said his team had played decent rugby in the first half and did not feel out of it.
The Baabaas’ first converted try came after a penalty punt to the corner led to a successful lineout take and drive over the line. The next try came from pick and go movements which closed the gap to 17-12.
The Hawks scrum was under pressure and they lost prop Levi Gage to the sin bin after giving away repetitive scrum penalties. The Barbarians then earned a penalty try from a scrum to take the win 19-17.
Coach Taylor said it was a team effort. “Everyone played their part but our forward dominance was the key factor. Our scrums and lineouts were flawless; we camped down their end until we came away with points.”
Loose forward Caine Taylor played the entire game in the midfield; he was joined by centre Angus Simmers in the second half who was making his first appearance of the season.
Woodlands had a 27-7 win on their home ground over Marist on Thursday night. Woodlands took confidence into the match after beating the Barbarians the previous week and having inside backs Liam Howley and Colin McKay back in the squad.
Woodlands played into wind in the first half and worked well together to score three tries and lead 20-7 at the break.
The field conditions deteriorated in the second half and so did the ball handling, the locals were able to earn the vast majority of field position and possession.
The handling errors led to numerous scrums, where Woodlands excelled. Loosehead prop Bryan Tyrell had a good game in Joe Walsh’s absence, and Chris Barrett made sure the scrum lost nothing when he replaced Paula Latu after halftime.
Teenage blindside flanker Justin Shaw was good in the lineout and used his range of skills to score a nice try. Wing Sione Baker was the game's other standout player.
The Blues versus Star game will be played at King’s Birthday Weekend.
- By John Langford
DRAWS— Premier: (All games 3pm), Marist v Blues, Woodlands v Pirates-Old Boys, Star v Eastern-Northern Barbarians.
Division One: (All games 3pm), Edendale v Albion, Pioneer v Wyndham, Tokanui v Te Anau.
Division Two: (All games 3pm), Riverton v Collegiate, Waikiwi v Bush Pirates, Waiau Star v Ohai-Nightcaps-Otautau, Wakatipu v Midlands, Mataura v Drummond-Limehills-Star.
Development: Marist v Blues, Woodlands v Pirates-Old Boys, Star v Bluff.
Women: Star v Albion (12.30pm), Wakatipu v Blues (1.15pm), Pioneer v Midlands (1.15pm)
