Last-minute drop goal sinks students

Southern halfback Mackenzie Palmer breaks through University defenders Mitchell Tinnock (left) and Matt Thompson during their clash at Bathgate Park on Saturday. Photo: Gerard O'Brien

Southern 24

University 21

You do not see that very often in club rugby.

Southern halfback Mackenize Palmer slotted a drop goal from out in front in the last act of the game to seal a 24-21 win against University at Bathgate Park on Saturday.

The Magpies retained the coveted VG Cavanagh Memorial and became the first team to take University down this season.

The students had been unbeaten.

It was an even contest for the most part.

Both teams defended well, but the Magpies had a big advantage in the scrum and they did well to disrupt some lineout ball.

Veteran prop Mike Mata’afa, who is closing in on 200 games for the club, made a monstrous impact in the second half and rumbled over for a critical five-pointer.

Palmer was dynamic. He skipped out of a couple of tackles and got back to his feet quickly to score the opening try.

Prop Isileli Otunuku had another storming game, and seasoned midfielder Paul Tupa’i was pushed out to the wing and made some decisive runs.

University were not as slick as they have been in previous games. Southern really lifted.

But halfback Kieran McClea distributed well and was nippy around the ruck.

Fullback Stanley Solomon scored one try and set up another with a chicken-wing offload.

And No 8 Aaron Withy made some thunderous tackles and carried strongly.

The drop goal sealed the win, but Southern’s scrum was a weapon. The front row should not have to buy a beer all week. — Adrian Seconi

Green Island 29

Kaikorai 27

Green Island first five Isaac McAuliffe kicked a 45m penalty from straight out in front in the last play of the game to snatch a win for his side over Kaikorai.

The visitors ended up the victor 29-27 in a game that had plenty of mistakes, was entertaining and had massive changes of momentum.

The home side started like a house on fire, enjoyed all the territory in the first half with the wind behind them.

Fullback and captain Charlie Breen scored the opening try, running a good line, breaking the defence after just five minutes. He was joined in the try-scoring stakes by lively left winger Rico Fisher, who showed speed and strength to dot down after Kaikorai moved the ball.

Mefi Tupou, in the midfield on Saturday, then caught the ball from a drop-out and proceeded to swat away tacklers as he ran 40m right through the Green Island defence to score a great try.

Green Island had one bright spot in the first half when fullback Reimana Saunderson-Rurawha ran a good line after midfielder Riley Lucas had broken the defence.

After the break, Green Island came back into the game while Kaikorai was plagued by errors. Jake Te Hiwi barged over and then captain Ronan Dynes got across, both showing strength near the line.

When Lucas then burrowed over under the posts with about 15 minutes left, the visiting side went ahead 26-24.

Kaikorai went back in front when Te Hiwi was yellow-carded for offside and Ben Miller kicked the penalty.

The home team, which dominated the scrum all day, had most of the ball near the end but, rather strangely, kept the ball close when their backs had the numbers wider out.

Eventually, Kaikorai mucked up a breakdown and were penalised. Green Island swept down the field, won the penalty and McAuliffe did the rest.

Kaikorai’s best were flanker Gregor Rutledge and prop Moana Takataka, while Tupou ran hard and centre Jake Fowler was lively.

Green Island halfback Brook Robson got better as the game went on, as did flanker Amos Roddick, and the Green Island bench made an impact. — Steve Hepburn

Zingari-Richmond 36

Alhambra-Union 34

Zingari-Richmond pulled off a thrilling 36-34 victory over Alhambra-Union in the Grace Mills Trophy match at Montecillo Park.

Early honours went to Alhambra-Union. Lock Luke Jordan scored from a maul in the opening minutes.

But Zingari-Richmond replied with three well-worked tries to leap out to a 15-5 lead. Their third try came from a touch of individual brilliance from lock Ratu Latus, who gathered in the ball close to his own line to go coast to coast with a blistering swerving run that wrong-footed the Alhambra-Union defenders.

But just as Zingari-Richmond appeared in full control, some ill-discipline proved costly.

They gifted the visitors territory and possession, and they used it to run in three tries to secure a four-try bonus point and a 24-15 lead at the break.

Zingari-Richmond got down to 13 men when loose forward Jordan Dale and Hugh Renton received yellow cards.

Alhambra-Union made full use of their two-man overlap in the opening exchanges of the second half to extend their lead to 31-15.

With the return of Dale and Renton, Zingari-Richmond awoke from their erroneous ways to play with pride and respect for the jersey.

They scored through wing Joseph Hola, while right from the restart, another coast-to-coast burst from Latus saw him dive in under the bar.

Then first five Semisi Maasi scored from a midfield break by centre Dayen Joyce for Zingari-Richmond to regain the lead at 36-34.

Each side punched and counter-punched in what was a thrilling but scoreless final quarter. — Wayne Parsons

Taieri 57

Dunedin 21

Taieri came into this game as raging hot favourites and the bookmakers were proven right. By halftime they led 26-7 on the back of four tries.

An under-strength Dunedin side were not helped by the fact they lost their loose forward trio to injury inside the first 30 minutes and were playing catch-up after that.

Taieri decimated the Dunedin scrum early and No 8 Sam Fischli scored from a pushover to start the rot.

The Taieri pack were too big for the small Dunedin pack at scrum, lineout and ruck time, which gave their backline a plethora of ball and eventually turned into points.

Dunedin were just holding on — conceding possession and territory — and the floodgates opened in the second half, as Taieri added another five tries with Fischli, and two each to Jared Ruwhiu-Bott and livewire halfback Nic Shearer.

Shearer, the Highlanders halfback, was the standout player in the game. He sparked most of their attacking movements and tries while adding a double himself. Prop Cam McNeill was a tower of strength at scrum time and powerful with ball in hand. Sam Fischli was the biggest player on the park and used it to effect, eating up the metres.

Dunedin, with their injury toll rising, will be struggling to remain competitive over the next few weeks. Midfielder Tayne Harvey was probably their best on attack and defence and scored a great try at the end of the game to give them some respect. — Paul Dwyer

Round 8

The scores

Southern 24 (Mackenzie Palmer, Isileli Otunuku, Mike Mata’afa tries; Palmer 3 con, drop goal), University 21 (Jay Reihana, Stanley Solomon, Caleb Abrahams tries; Rico Muliaina 3 con). Halftime: 7-7.

Green Island 29 (Riley Lucas, Ronan Dynes, Jake Te Hiwi, Reimana Saunderson-Rurawhe tries; Isaac McAuliffe 3 con, pen), Kaikorai 27 (Mefi Tupou, Rico Fisher, Charlie Breen tries; Ben Miller 3 con, 2 pen). Halftime: 21-7 Kaikorai.

Zingari-Richmond 36 (Ratu Latus 2, A-One Lolofie, Bill Temaka, Joseph Hola, Semisi Maasi tries; Semisi Maasi con, Sailusi Temaka 2 con), Alhambra-Union 34 (Luke Jordan, William Thode, Isaac Turoa, Manaia Lesa, Tylar Diack; William Thode 3 con, pen). Halftime: 24-15 Alhambra-Union.

Taieri 57 (Sam Fischli 2, Nic Shearer 2, Jared Ruwhiu Bott 2, Tom Bolton, Matt Whaanga, Joe Cockburn tries; Archie Body 6 con), Dunedin 21 (Max Webb, Alex Arnold, Tayne Harvey tries; Brayden Dew 3 con). Halftime: 26-7 Taieri.

STANDINGS