Win a morale booster for beleaguered Zingari

Alhambra-Union’s Josh Hayward is grabbed by Southern No 8 Aron Einarsson during a premier game at...
Alhambra-Union’s Josh Hayward is grabbed by Southern No 8 Aron Einarsson during a premier game at the North Ground on Saturday as prop Tafa Tafa (left) and Delaney McKenzie watch on. PHOTO: LINDA ROBERTSON
Zingari-Richmond 17 Dunedin 16

Zingari-Richmond is certainly Dunedin’s bogey team. It has won only two games in the past three years and both have been against Dunedin.

On a cold stormy day at Kettle Park, Zingari came, saw and conquered. It was not flash but dominated territory and possession, its scrum was strong, it hoed into the loose and the midfield commanded its opposites.

This was a morale booster for a struggling club.

Many pundits had written the club off and predicted a demise — ill-informed cretins the lot!

Dunedin kicked an early penalty but halfback Kayne Hammington waltzed over from a scrum.

Dunedin put its only phases of the game together in the last 10 minutes of the spell and fullback Josh Moorby, its only standout player, scored out wide to give it an an undeserved six-point lead at the break.

Midfielder Willie Time crashed over from yet another Dunedin mistake to cut the lead to one point early in the second spell. Forget the next 20 minutes — nothing happened.

Finally, reserve hooker Haki Hamilton went over after sustained pressure to give the colours a six-point buffer.

In the last few minutes, Dunedin nearly awakened from its stupor and winger Tommy Clout went over out wide but the conversion was missed to go down by one.

Zingari-Richmond was magnificent in its endeavours. Its three Highlanders controlled the game from Jeff Thwaites up front and the two generals Nehe Milner-Skudder and Hammington. Flanker Simon Pupuailii was a tower of strength in the loose and Willie Time ate up the metres in the midfield.

Dunedin conversely was absolutely atrocious and a top 6 spot for it looks like a mirage. It never got more than three phases stitched together and its ball control was reminiscent of primary school stuff. There will be soul-searching this week.

Green Island 20 Taieri 18

That took guts.

Green Island spent most of the second half defending as Taieri went searching for another narrow win.

And the defending champion looked on track on Saturday.

With a backdrop of thunder and lightning at Peter Johnstone Park, Highlanders lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit soared high in the lineout and was menacing in the wide channels.

He bagged two tries — one in each half. The second was a good watch. But it was not enough. Green Island fullback Isaak Te Hiwi drilled five penalties — two in the second half — to help seal a tense 20-18 win. The Grizzlies, who led 14-13 at halftime, claimed the Challenge Shield with the win and are nicely positioned to make the final of the Speight’s Jug.

Green Island No 8 Dylan Nel opened the scoring. He is a completely different shape from Selby-Rickit.

He is a lot lower to the ground and shaped like a barrel.

Early in the game he brushed aside a tackler and sprinted 40m to score. The cover defence probably should have got to him but his determined angled run got him to the corner first.

Lock Oliver Haig stole a crucial lineout late in the game and was another who had a solid game.

Hooker Jake Fowler made some darting runs and prop Marika Parker was good, while for Taieri fullback Caleb Leef made some nice touches and Nick Henderson made some crunching tackles.

Alhambra-Union 33 Southern 14

Southern are short of fatties up front but it was out wide where the Magpies were made to pay.

Alhambra-Union bagged five tries — four of them in a wonderful opening 40 minutes — to set up a 33-14 win at the North Ground.

Winger Isaac Milne cashed in first. He scored after five minutes thanks to a nice build-up by the home team.

Alhambra-Union’s tight five was able to match a Southern pack which is down on muscle.

With a even share of the ball, the Broncos backline got plenty of opportunities.

The secret was keeping the ball alive and waiting for the inevitable gaps to open.

Jona Nareki’s brother, Peceli Malanicagi, grabbed the first of his two tries from a set move from a scrum. He got the ball with about 20m to travel and put his sidestep into action to get there.

Halfback Noah Hotham cleared the ball well and gave those outside him a few extra seconds. That proved valuable.

Lock Levi Turoa was impressive in the lineout.

Alhambra-Union led 26-7 at the break but Southern scored quickly to narrow the gap to 26-14.

The score was unchanged until Alhambra-Union captain John Tapueluelu scored midway through the half in his 50th premier game for the club.

Fullback Ben McCarthy had a busy game and was instrumental in good percentage of the tries, while his Southern opposite Obeys Samate presented a constant threat and he kicked well into space. Hooker Joe Cairns had a tidy game as well.

Kaikorai 26 University 22

Kaikorai anchored its position at the top of the table with a four-try bonus-point victory over an energetic University side at Logan Park.

The student pack gained dominance early when it monstered a scrum to start an enthralling contest between two evenly matched sides. The boot of Kaikorai first five-eighth Ben Miller proved the difference between the sides.

Although University dominated the set pieces, Kaikorai had an ability to capitalise on errors and turn them into points. Its loose forward trio of Jake Russ, Slade McDowall and Christian Lio-Willie became prominent around the fringes and at the breakdown, leading to Kaikorai taking the structure out of the students’ game and applying pressure. Barging runs from prop Champ Betham and lock Pita Sinamoni, led to three first-half tries and a 19-5 lead at the break.

Kaikorai made its intentions clear right from the restart and hammered away at the University line only for the ball to be turned over. Right winger Tom Rance sprinted clear and set up a try for flanker Austin Qeti.

Although Kaikorai then scored through hooker Henry Bell, the students were quick to hit back with two tries in quick succession to set up a nail-biting final quarter in which neither side could penetrate each other’s defence.

For Kaikorai Russ, Lio-Willie and Bell worked tirelessly, while University was well served by hooker Ricky Jackson and the back three of Rance, Tylar Diack and Jermaine Pepe.

 - ODT rugby writers 

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