Flashes of flair deliver deserved wins

Taieri halfback Bob Martin scores during a premier game against Alhambra-Union at Peter Johnstone...
Taieri halfback Bob Martin scores during a premier game against Alhambra-Union at Peter Johnstone Park on Saturday afternoon. PHOTO GERARD O’BRIEN
Green Island 39 Southern 24

Classy Green Island midfielder Ray Nu’u worked his magic to orchestrate a 39-24 victory against Southern at Miller Park on Saturday.

The second five-eighth had his hand in everything creative the Grizzlies came up with.

His ability to get away an offload meant he was a constant threat. He took the ball to the defence with intent and, if the gap closed, he shovelled the ball along the line.

Nu’u set the tone early with a bust and offload out of the back of his hand.

He was perfectly positioned to score his side’s second try. Great backing up and you could also put it down to smart play. He knew where he needed to be.

Winger Michael Manson scored next. It was a delightful try from a set piece.

He hit the line and ghosted through a gap, swerved around the last defender and used his pace to get himself to the corner.

It was rugby the way it used to be played — with skill, deception and pace. No big blokes grinding the ball up and boring the crowd silly.

Southern rallied in the second half. Fullback Obey Samate was creative and courageous in equal measure. Lock Harry Taylor was a reliable source of ball.

Outside back Timoci Tavatavanawai was hard/impossible to stop.

While this game was won by a slick effort by the Green Island backs in the opening 40 minutes, loose forwards Oliver Haig and Heath MacEwan are worth a special mention as well.

Haig linked nicely and MacEwan was tireless on defence.

Green Island will be hard to beat in this form.

Dunedin 29 Harbour 26

It was deja vu for Harbour as it watched Josh Moorby line up a kick from the sideline for the second time in three weeks at Kettle Park and send it sailing down the middle to prevent a draw and give Dunedin the five points.

Harbour started the game well and dominated territory and possession and its scrum was superior. No8 Sione Misiloi strolled over from a scrum to put the first points on the board.

Fullback Mone Samate crossed to give it a 14-point lead after 20 minutes. Dunedin stayed in the game through its staunch and courageous defence even when down to 14 after No8 Hame Toma was binned for a professional foul.

But Harbour left 10 to 15 points out there in the first spell with sloppy handling and very average finishing.

Dunedin made it pay with a lineout drive from the 22m line and put winger Tommy Clout away to cut the lead to nine at the break.

Dunedin took control in the second spell and dominated the game. It scored three converted tries in the first 25 minutes of the second spell to Moorby, winger Oscar Schmidt-Uli and another to Clout to give it a comfortable 12-point lead and the game.

Harbour stormed back with two tries in 90 seconds to Viliami Tufui the midfielder off a Ben Nicholas break and an 85-metre intercept to winger Viliami Fine and it was 26-all with four minutes left.

Referee Jono Bredin then caught Harbour offside from a kick and up stepped Moorby and that’s all she wrote.

For Dunedin, prop Kees Scott was a hive of industry and flanker Josh Retter was into everything. Moorby was all class as per usual and his pirouette to score was a treat to behold. Tommy Clout was a danger every time he touched the ball. A feature of the game was the debut of former Black Cap Neil Broom for the Sharks, with the 37-year-old playing fullback.

For Harbour, lock Taylor Dale was its best up front and Ben Nicholas made some searing breaks in the loose with his power and pace. Lisala Halaleva the centre was their best back by a margin.

Taieri 25 Alhambra-Union 17

Taieri snapped a three-game losing streak with a 25-17 win against Alhambra-Union at Peter Johnstone Park.

The defending champion will be satisfied with the result. It has been a tough month for the team.

But there is still plenty to work on. The Eels left some points out on park.

They were not as clinical as their fans have come to expect in recent seasons.

But there was big positives as well. Rookie Cameron Millar slotted into fullback and had a strong game.

He is a gun goal-kicker but also scored a lovely try.

The home started well. Diminutive winger Marc Rooney scored in the 15th minute and halfback Bob Martin got across the chalk three minutes later.

Taieri led 17-0 but Alhambra-Union had cut the gap to seven by the break.

Promising lock Levi Turoa scored and Kody Edwards drilled a conversion and penalty.

Alhambra-Union had got back into the game. But the turning point came 10 minutes into the second spell.

Millar used his pace to catch up with a kick through and scored a clutch try. But Alhambra-Union halfback Noah Hotham scored late to set up a nervous final five minutes.

Miller drilled an important penalty from 45m out to ease the nerves in the camp and, ultimately, seal the win.

Loose forward Leroy Ferguson enhanced his reputation. Prop Cameron McNeill carried well and held up his side of the scrum.

Martin had a tidy performance and Rooney played above his weight grade.

While for Alhambra-Union, hooker Alex Fraito and winger Peceli Malanicagi were excellent and Hotham had another solid shift.

University 45 Zingari-Richmond 8

A game-breaking second quarter from fullback Jermaine Pepe helped set University up for a 45-8 victory at Montecillo.

The home side made a promising start, dominating the early exchanges, to take a 3-0 lead through a Connor Newlands penalty kick. But this only spurred University into action, and it kept Zingari-Richmond camped deep inside its own 22m for the majority of the the first half.

A try to openside flanker Sean Withy opened University’s account, when he went high at the back of a lineout 5m from the Zingari-Richmond line and was able to turn and run unimpeded to the line.

With the University pack in total command up front and the Zingari-Richmond backs getting sucked in at the breakdown, the University backs were able to run with enterprise and second five-eighth Giovanni Leituala and fullback Jermaine Pepe unleashed their skills. The four tries in quick succession by Pepe were master-class and were completed with the promise of more to come in the second spell, and the chance to better or equal the record of six tries in a match by just 10 other University players.

With both sides stalemated in the second spell, a possible fifth try for Pepe was denied when after a 30m break he offloaded for the try to be scored by right wing Aaron McMurray. He featured again soon after in a back line move that had left-winger Robb Kidd score in the closing moments.

 - ODT rugby writers 

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