Rugby League: Unahi dominant as Kia Toa lets loose

Kia Toa player Robert Dean runs with the ball during his side's Otago competition match against...
Kia Toa player Robert Dean runs with the ball during his side's Otago competition match against University A at the Oval on Saturday. University player Dan Oliver is on the ground and Jayden Ladkin is in pursuit. The linesman is Simon Buttery. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Kia Toa Tigers lock Shane Unahi scored 30 points to help his team beat University 46-20 in the third round of the Otago competition on Saturday.

He scored three tries, set up one and kicked seven from eight conversion attempts in his side's eight-tries-to-four victory.

Unahi was strong in the hit-up and punishing in the tackle, and was a standout player in a Tigers team that put on a strong defensive display and showed good organisation.

He was also involved in an unfortunate collision in the first half with two team-mates, winger Cody Raymond and standoff Ryan Tapsell.

All three went in to tackle a University player and clashed heads. Raymond had to go to hospital immediately with an eye gash and received seven stitches.

Tapsell taped his bloodied head up, played on and had an impressive game for the Tigers.

He later received five stitches.

Unahi came out of the clash unscathed.

The Tigers went into the halftime break with an 18-4 lead thanks to two tries from Unahi and one from centre Kyle Walters.

It looked like the Tigers would run away with the match in the second half after Unahi's third try in the 44th minute, but to University's credit, it came back with two quick tries to hooker Tom Ellery and centre Tom Fletcher.

With 20 minutes to play and trailing 22-16, University was hot on attack 10m out from the Tigers try line.

The students spread the ball wide and looked certain to score when Tapsell pounced on an intercept and ran 90m to score between the posts and kill off any hope of a University comeback.

Tries to Tigers props Koben Katipa and Robert Dean and fullback Adam Jones followed as they finished the game strongly.

The South Pacific Raiders remain undefeated after they won a high-scoring battle with the Harbour Seals 58-32.

Three tries each from centre Kenneth Hemopo and lock Manassah Kutia helped the Raiders to an 11-tries-to-six victory.

The Raiders looked sharp in the first half and took a 32-16 lead at halftime with tries to Kutia (two), Hemopo, second-rower Callum Smith, standoff Tamiti Davis and centre Tom Fletcher.

The Raiders got out to a 46-16 lead in the second half before the Seals fought back to within 12 points.

The Raiders never really looked in danger of being beaten and late tries to Hemopo and Kutia sealed the game.

Raiders hooker Simon Fuatavi and Kutia were the pick of the forwards and fullback Reece Vaitupu, Hemopo and Davis stood out in a strong backline.

Seals standoff Mase Makavaha had a solid performance and hooker Albert Alapati and lock Emmanual Matapo worked hard to keep their team in the game.

 

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