Club Rugby Report - 5th April

By Lindsay Knight

The west Auckland neighbouring clubs, Massey and Western Pioneers, produced the most stunning results on Saturday in the second round of the North Harbour premier first rugby competition.

Massey confirmed that they will be again a formidable contender to retain the championship title won last season with a comfortable 37-3 win over Silverdale, who had been one of the best performed sides in the opening round with an easy win over Takapuna.

And Western Pioneers secured their first win over North Shore in the four seasons they have been in the competition with an exciting 28-26 win, a victory gaining more lustre because it was at Shore’s Devonport headquarters.

Super 15 player Pita Ahki came on late in the first spell to add even more penetration to Massey’s potent backline against Silverdale, while the promising Michael Little, formerly of Glenfield, was also a key contributor to the Pioneers’ backline against Shore.

Glenfield, meanwhile, almost produced another big upset by coming agonisingly close to toppling Harbour’s most successful club, Takapuna. Looking the better side for much of the game and led vigorously by No 8 Moe Situa, Glenfield looked to have secured a 19-17 win with a late try by prop Isilei Fatuua, which was converted from the sideline by Alex King.

As well as his accurate goal-kicking King also impressed with some judicious tactical kicking in the second spell, using the southerly wind well by playing to the corners.

But a late surge from Takapuna saw Jon Elrick add to his many club points with an easy penalty goal in injury time for a 20-19 win which even the Takapuna home supporters agreed was a lucky escape.

However, with many new players, Takapuna are not quite the force of old.

East Coast Bays joined Massey at the top of the table with their second consecutive bonus win, 45-3, over Mahurangi. For Bays wing Shane Coots celebrated his blazer game with two tries and the stalwart pack leader James Penman also got a double.

Despite the scoreline, Mahurangi, reinforced by several Fijians, were not disgraced and were always competitive.

Northcote were another straggler of the past couple of seasons to show considerable promise with a 44-20 win over Marist. It would have been an even more impressive scoreline but for two late Marist tries.  No 8 Zack Moimoi scored three of Northcote’s tries and first five eighths Ben Searle was in excellent kicking form, converting all of the side’s six tries.