By Lindsay Knight
The odds on Massey retaining the North Harbour premier rugby title became even shorter on Saturday when the west Auckland-based club produced another stunning performance.
Massey thrashed Takapuna, for many seasons one of Harbour’s club powerhouses, 60-19, racing away to a big half-time lead and scoring nine tries. That has left Massey as the competition’s only unbeaten side and after just three matches with commanding table lead in the Buck Shelford Shield first round.
First five-eighths Rodrigo Costa scored 25 points and the potency of the Massey backline was underlined by the presence of the Blues squad member Pita Ahki again in the midfield.
The win made Massey the first winners of the trophy named in honour of Willie Halaifonua, the Takapuna lock, who died tragically at the end of last year’s championship semi-final between the two clubs.
Takapuna’s loss leaves them in the unusual position of being ninth on the table, ahead only of the perennial country strugglers, Mahurangi, with their one win from three matches so far an extremely lucky one over Glenfield. They now have an inexperienced side, having lost several from last year’s side, including halfback Brenton Helleur and lock Chris Smith, both of whom were influential players.
Hopes that Mahurangi might show some improvement and celebrate in style their 25 years in the Harbour union were dashed when at Warkworth they were over-run by a lively Glenfield, who had been so unlucky in the previous weekend against Takapuna. First five eighths Alex King scored three of Glenfield’s tries and the 57-12 scoreline might have been greater had he been in the kicking form he showed against Takapuna.
Mahurangi have several young, home-grown players and there is still optimism that the return of some of their Fijians to complement them might restore some competitiveness.
East Coast Bays lost 23-15 in a lively encounter with Northcote but stayed in second place on the table. Centre Jason Blackett scored all three of Northcote’s tries and the third was significant in that it checked a Bays second spell recovery which was sparked by its stronger pack. Bays were un fortunate not to gain a bonus point at least, with the side bolstered by some acquisitions from Marist, notably representative players, Tua Saseve in the midfield and hooker Manu Leaitaoa.
High penalty counts marked the other two matches in which there were some robust exchanges. Silverdale, with first five eighths Matt McGahan scoring all their points with a try and 17 from the boot, drew 22-all with North Shore, who lost captain and energetic flanker Josh Blucher to a second spell red card. As a reflection of how tight and dour this contest was, Shore also gained only one try, with Tim Blundell kicking 17 of their points.
Tries were infrequent, too, in the Western Pioneers-Marist clash, with the Pioneers scoring the match’s only two to edge Marist 15-3.
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