University battled back from a 13-point deficit to clinch a tense 21-20 win over Southern at the University Oval on Saturday.
The students picked up a couple of prizes for their efforts — the Vic Cavanagh Memorial and four valuable competition points.
They have not quite cemented a playoff spot yet. But their position in the top six has certainly firmed.
Southern, however, has slipped to seventh place and that is not a great spot to be with one round remaining.
The Magpies arguably deserve more than a solitary point from the game. They dominated the first half through an omnipotent scrum.
Turns out that scrum was more or less powered by one man — big Mike Mata’afa.
When he was on the field, the scrum motored forward. When he was off, it backpedalled rapidly.
Southern knocked over a couple of early penalties courtesy of said scrum. And experienced No8 Mika Mafi bashed his way over the line from a 5m scrum.
A sparkling back move was snuffed out by some tenacious defensive work from University halfback Kieran McClea.
His opposite, Matt Horne, darted away from a ruck shortly after and found lock Aron Einarsson with a good pass.
University had earlier scored through No8 Jakob Harrex. He crashed over following a nice move down the left where loosie Louis Magalogo and winger Aaron McMurray had made strong carries.
First-five Sam Clarke kicked penalties either side of the break to cut the gap to 20-13. And then another to set up a tense finish.
Harrex drove over to seal the win with about 5 minutes remaining.
Harbour 35 Green Island 19
Harbour got itself back into the playoff race with a 35-19 win over an understrength Green Island at Watson Park.
The competition front-runners opted to rest several key players in the lead-in to the playoffs.
That said, Harbour earned its win against what was still a quality line-up.
The Hawks struck early through talisman Charles Elton. The experienced No8 charged down a clearance from Finn Strawbridge, gathered in the ball and trotted 10m to score.
The home team raced out to a 20-0 lead after 20 minutes. Green Island had made virtually no impression on the match but started getting the ball wider and scored a couple of nice tries. One was from a rolling maul and the other from some loose play.
The Grizzlies trailed 20-12 at the break and had the opportunity to score a couple of tries but blew it.
All it would have taken was to draw and pass but the execution was lacking.
Loosie Jesse Vaafusuaga and halfback Oliver Bugden got themselves sin-binned in close succession.
Harbour was able to use its numerical advantage to ease away to a comfortable win.
Hawks second-five Willie Tufui carried strongly and was a constant threat, while centre Sala Halaleva had a good shift in his 100th game for the Hawks.
Hooker Austin Atiga was industrious up front and Elton shouldered a heavy workload as always.
For Green Island lock Woody Kirkwood and winger Jake Te Hiwi stood out.
Taieri 44 Kaikorai 14
It is not often a lock bags three tries in a game but with all the hallmarks of some of the great locks of the past, that is what Ben Morris achieved in Taieri’s 44-14 win over Kaikorai at Bishopscourt.
Morris was an ever-present danger with the ball in hand, using his size and turn of speed to create havoc with the Kaikorai midfield. While his first try resulted from a pick and go, his second two had the stamp of class.
Securing a turnover on its own 22m, Taieri burst upfield amid a scramble of Kaikorai defenders, before Morris received the offload 30m out and used his size, speed and strength to scramble over in the arms of three defenders.
If his second try was something to savour, it was his third that was something special.
Deep inside his own half, he intercepted a pass and with a blistering turn of speed sprinted 65m for a try under the crossbar. The only players to touch him were his own team-mates with celebratory embraces after touchdown.
While Morris played a starring role, all members of the Taieri pack played roles in countering the threats posed by Kaikorai.
Taieri halfback Kurt Hammer excelled with his delivery, long passes and box kicks. His service to first five-eighth Cameron Millar provided time and space for this young talented inside back, whose clearing kicks to open space found space out the back. Millar also had a faultless display with the boot, scoring 19 points.
For Kaikorai, Jackson Dempster and Pita Sinamoni featured in the pack while Matt Jones was solid in midfield.
Dunedin 39 Zingari-Richmond 17
Dunedin had to get five points out of this game to give itself a chance of making the top six and, not without a few heart palpitations, got the result it was after.
The Sharks did not start well and after an early penalty to Dunedin first-five Tom Henderson, Zingari got some useful possession and evergreen lock Chris Bell strolled over from a short lineout untouched.
Dunedin replied with a pushover try to lock Mark Grieve-Dunn. Then Dunedin inexplicably committed another defensive error from a Zingari short lineout and this time Zingari hooker Bailey Matoe waltzed over untouched.
The Dunedin pack then woke up and started to take control and the impressive hooker Sam Rainger finished off a movement out wide when Dunedin created a massive overlap. The Sharks still went into the break two points in arrears after Zingari halfback Shaun Driver kicked a late penalty.
The Zingari bench looked very thin and Dunedin took advantage and piled on four tries in the second spell to confirm the five points and a reasonably comfortable victory. Grieve-Dunn got his second and midfielder Keenan Christian-Goss and rookie winger Ness Scully went over and prop Rohan Wingham put an exclamation mark on an impressive performance with a powerful run with a try under the bar.
Wingham, flanker Josh Retter and Grieve-Dunn were prominent throughout, as was Rainger and lock Ed White.
For Zingari, flanker Simon Pupuailii was powerful with ball in hand and halfback Shaun Driver led his team round the paddock with aplomb.
Dunedin now has an anxious wait as it has the bye next week to see if it makes the six. It will need Harbour, Southern or Varsity to fall over.
- ODT rugby writers
