Club Rugby Report - 29th March

By Lindsay Knight

Marty Swart, who has been recruited from Canterbury, enjoyed an auspicious introduction to North Harbour rugby on Saturday, with a starring role from fullback for East Coast Bays in the opening round of premier club matches.

Swart, who played once for Canterbury last year in their successful ITM Cup campaign, scored three tries and kicked seven conversions for a personal tally of 29 points, as Bays ran rampant over Glenfield 54-14.

It was, however, a gallant effort by a Glenfield side which has lost 16 players from last year’s squad, including promising back Michael Little who featured in last year’s Harbour representative side. He has moved to Western Pioneers, though he didn’t play for his new club on Saturday because of injury.

Massey and North Shore, last season’s championship finalists, both began strongly with decisive wins over Western and Northcote respectively.

Massey beat a depleted Western side 33-16 and would have won by more with better goal-kicking, None of their six tries was converted.

Shore overcame a lively start by Northcote to take control of the second quarter and built on that despite playing into the breeze in the second spell for a 40-20 win. Shore fielded a dominant pack led by Josh Blucher, Jamie Hincho and Brandon Nansen and had good value in the backs from wing Ben Stewart, with two tries, and in the five-eighths Sam Barton and Daniel Hilton-Jones.

Hilton-Jones, son of former representative flanker and prominent coach Russell and not long out of Rosmini College, scored 15 points in his premier debut.

In Northcote’s bright opening 20 minutes second five-eighths Blake Hall, twin brother of Blues halfback Bryn, made a slashing break to create the side’s first try. Bryn showed his club loyalty before playing for the Blues at Eden Park by acting as Northcote’s water-boy.

Surprise of the round was Silverdale’s comfortable 30-6 win over Harbour’s most successful club, Takapuna, while Marist battled early against Mahurangi before charging away in the second spell to win 26-8.

Takapuna fielded 11 newcomers and, while holding Silverdale for the first spell, ran out of defensive energy in the second spell. Silverdale had a big, powerful pack and a good prospect at first five in Matt McGahan, son of the league legend Hugh.

Mahurangi, who have had few wins in recent years, led Marist 3-0 at half-time at their home venue at Warkworth and then scored the opening try early in the second spell. But Marist, with lock Francois Marais leading their pack, rallied strongly for four tries to secure a bonus-point win.