Northland Club Rugby 2019

Round 1. (23/03/2019)

Premier Results :home team named first
Waipu 21 Kamo 3
Otamatea 10 Old Boys Marist 45
Hora Hora 27 Kerikeri 14
Western Sharks 50 Hikurangi 7
Mid Northern 31 v Welsford 62

Waipu proved to strong at home for an under powered Kamo outfit
The 2018 champions while creating a few opportunities where missing several front line especially in the pack and it was Waipu who dominated the forwards exchanges 2018 Northland squadman Temo Mayanavanua the standout.

There were big wins for the Western Sharks who impressed Northland coach Derrin Whitcombe who was on hand with their organisation given it was round 1,the amalgamation with Kaihu Valley looks like it may pay some handsome dividends with really good numbers turning up to training .

Wellsford proved to strong for a Mid Northern outfit that is missing several frontliners,Wellsford fielding 5 Northland players,Paddy Joe Atkins,Jordon Hyland,Sean Sweetman and Brothers Matty and Ross Wright who packed down at number 8

One player to watch during the season will be Fijian winger Ratu Mara who caused Wellsford many a problem..

not sure on other results, but Kamo went to Kerikeri Yesterday:

Kamo Reserves 29 - Kerikeri 29
Kamo Premiers 34 - Kerikeri 12

Round 2 (30/03/2019)

Prem Results.Home team named first

Old Boys Marist 14 Waipu 27
Kerikeri 12 Kamo 34
Hikurangi 24 Otamatea 5
Wellsford 47 Horahora 24
Western Sharks 26 Mid Northern 7

Took the one hour drive up to Wellsford to check out the locals take on the visitors Horahora,both teams were missing some of their regulars if the team sheets were correct
Wellsford missing Sean Sweetman who had a hand injury,should be back next week and Jordon Highland who turned out for the Blues Dev on friday but still had the Ross & Matty Wright & Paddy Joe Atkins on hand
Horahora started without Jacob Matiu who came on for the 2nd half.
The first thing that caught my eye was how much weight Paddy Joe Atkins has lost,looks like about 10kgs..

The game started quite evenly with both teams struggling to find their markers at lineout time,it was a bit windy so that may have had bit to do with it,however once Wellsford got their pick and go game going along with a yellow card to promising young Horahora prop Danny Henderson the flood gates opened before halftime ,racking up 4 tries to lead 24-0 ,it looked like it was going to be one way traffic but credit to Horahora,they have a ton of young guys and they lifted when Jacob Matiu entered the fray and finally gave them some go forward..one young guy who caught the eye is Esile Fono who packed down at number 8,only 17 straight out of Whangārei Boys high,the kid is a beast,looks around 6’4 and 116 kgs..also so versitle he moved into loosehead prop in the 2nd half,I understand he is in the Northland academy and is definitely one that could go a long way..

Young Australian halfback William Grant from what I understand comes from NSW country and is as tough as nails and has a great pass and good game management ,did not mind running into contact understand he is also in the Northland academy,Horahora have good one there.

Others to stand out for Horahora were midfield pair Lyric Brownlee who carries hard into contact and centre Reece LeVasour who has such good footwork and looks a natural midfielder..almost scored an amazing individual try after beating several defenders with footwork and pace only for some great last gasp defending from Matty Wright who knocked the ball out of his hands as he dived over...Captain and openside flanker Robert Murray and the lock Mark Bennett were also very solid and tried hard

For the winners Wellsford,it was probably more of an all round team effort with all their Northland players putting in a good shift,Paddy Joe Atkins looked really fit playing at hooker,could be a good hooker/Prop option for the Taniwha .
Matty Wright after a couple of early mistakes did most things well..and Ross Wright made a good fist of number 8 carries so well into contact and was a menace at Breakdown ,

Must mention Tim Blundell at first five as well,like Matty Wright a couple of early a couple early mistakes but then managed the game very well from there on .
A couple of young players that really impressed me were openside Mathewson Northin,a rangy flanker who has come through Wellsford age group and remember this name Sage Walters Hansen,only a young guy,but has got some engine,was close to my player of the day with all his work in the number 6 jersey..
One guy who will be hit in Northland club rugby is Valentine Sifa a pocket size winger that is built like brick you know what ,has transfered from the Manukau Rovers club in Auckland .he runs with plenty of power purpose ,never really got to see him under the high ball,runs hard and very direct,we will see how he progresses through the club season..Jacob Matiu put a shot on him..and there were some interesting words in the after math..Matiu baiting him,Sifa replying with obligatory response “I run over you an gill you..”;crack up ,not a typo ..reminded me of a cross between Fetu Vanikolo & Mateo Malupo

Well worth the drive up,great to see so many young guys running around in senior footy..

@Steven-Harris haha as I was reading that paragraph about Sifa I started thinking of Fetu, then you go mention him...I should be able ot get out and watch next weekend, after being busy yesterday and last Saturday.

@taniwharugby I don’t think he’s rep material,but I could be wrong,he just picks out the biggest guy in the opposite team and runs full tit straight at him..crack up..did you read the lift out in the Northern Advocate on the respective club teams..?

@Steven-Harris nah I dont buy it, only look at the online version

@taniwharugby it’s on the online version if you know how to pop the feed up.

@Steven-Harris ah saw Pt 1 on Friday but hadnt seen Pt II...

Interesting to see Phillip Manako step out for Waipu v OBM on Saturday, Manako is the son of former Northland left wing David Manako..
According to all reports he out played Matt Johnson standing in at centre for Waipu,like his father he is winger and desperate to follow in his fathers footsteps and play for the Taniwha ,commutes from West Auckland to Waipu,gets to training early and does extra work.
Not to far away from picking up his lawyers degree..great to hear this story.

@Steven-Harris thats pretty cool, be great if he did manage to make it!

@Steven-Harris said in Northland Club Rugby 2019:

Not to far away from picking up his lawyers degree..great to hear this story.

That's cool. Was also nice to read recently that Tom Robinson completed an economics degree at Auck Uni during his injured years.

@Tim great to see these young guys are doing other things outside rugby..tells you something about their upbringing

@Steven-Harris @Tim and you would like to think that NZR and/or the NZRPA are doing everything they can to encourage these young guys to further education or trainiing for the inevitable life outside rugby

went along to watch Kamo v Otamatea

Kamo scored inside the first couple of minutes through left wing O'Grady (although wearing 14) 7-0

Otamatea, despite looking a bit disorganised hit back promptly to trail 7-5.

After that, she was all one way traffic, Kamo lead at the break 45-5 and final score was 74-5 I think.

Kamo lost thier 7 early on after one of the Otamatea locks fended with what looked like a fist to the face, Boylan came off saying he couldnt see properly out of his eye.

Hard to take a great deal from this game, Otamatea just dont look upto it...some big lumps that are out of shape, no shape to thier defence or attack and with error after error, many of these just simple catches too.

Kamo's 6, Thyne was very good though, all over the park, big hits, carries, pace and a menace at the breakdown.

Kamo dominated the scrum, with Straker and Gale propping.

The wing O'Grady got a hatrick...Kamo missing a few good players (Jacobsen, Tua, Shelford, Laupepe and assume Berridge and Ross didnt come back this season?) still by the looks, but just looked more organised and really didnt get out of 3rd gear.

Kamo FB Bentley-Hape is a very tall rangy fella, looks to have some toe and potential, a couple of times he looked like if he'd pinned his ears back and gassed it he woulda scored but looked for a pass instead.

went along to see the Kamo-OLd Boys Marist today.

Warm afternoon with a light breeze, perfect conditions.

OBM took the treats 10-18.

OBM hit frst through a long range try to Kepa, Kamo forwards rumbles over about 10 mins later, then OBM scored again just before half time to be up 12-5 at the break, and then 2 more penalties to Kamos maul try were all we had in the 2nd half...which also included an average YC for supposed intentional knock against Kamo, only for OBM to get away with a similar one minutes later.

Was a pretty decent game, alot of passion out there!

The OBM 8-9-10-12 axis was the difference.

Stokes at 8 looks to have bulked up a bit (if he can demand a start for NOrthland, looks a leader) not sure who the OBM 9 was, but has a sharp pass, gets around quickly too.

Havent seen the team sheet, but looked like Roberts-Te Nana at 10, ran the show assuredly, but didnt run it much, often gave to his hard straight running 12, he definitely got the better of his opposite Hohaia, who is looking well off the pace.

The OBM 15 is very sharp on attack and positioned pretty well, Kepa someone, but after some great work by the forwards, they put him in space about 60m out and he beat a few on his way to the try line.

OBM have a lock who has moved here from somewhere, be up around 6'10, throws himself about, but a little lightweight for his height IMO

For Kamo, they are missing Sykes at 9 hugely, the transition of ball is too slow.

Young fella at 10, Niko looked handy today, decent kicking game on him, be good to see him with better ball from 9.

Kamo took scrumming honours early on, but as the game wore on it was pretty even, and then when Straker came off (he had been down a couple of times) with about 15 to go, OBM had a slight advantage.

Straker was more prominent this week, put in some work on defence and obviously solid at scrum time.

Kamo just lacked any punch, Hohaia simply not able to provide it, and with limited space he wasnt able to get things moving for his team.

Kamo 6 Thyne still very busy today, not as prominent against a stronger pack, but looks a good player, but probably a bit small for 6 if he has aspirations for higher honours.

I expect Kamo are itching to get Sykes, TUa, Jacobsen et al back if they expect to defend thier title.

@taniwharugby said in Northland Club Rugby 2019:
not sure who the OBM 9 was, but has a sharp pass, gets around quickly too.

Kamo 6 Thyne still very busy today, not as prominent against a stronger pack, but looks a good player, but probably a bit small for 6 if he has aspirations for higher honours.

OBM 9 is Harrison Levien, a young fulla from Taumaranui, has played for Waikato previously.

Thyne is more of a 7 than a 6. He’s been playing quality rugby for years, a Mid Western lad who moved to Kamo when MW got relegated. Has had a couple of nasty injuries the last couple of years though so has probably only played a handful of games for them. Here is useless fact for you, his old man played 7 for the Aussie Colts against the ABs back in the day.

@Gunner yeah I had thought a decent 9 had come up here in the off-season but couldnt think of name or to where.

Ha well there you go on Thyne...

@taniwharugby said in Northland Club Rugby 2019:

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Interesting result in the battle for 8th KK over MN.

In the Championship Southern beat Tomarata 22-20, Mangakahia beat Pipiwai 22-12 and Whangaruru beat DOB 34-17.

Only 1 point seperates the top four, Southern & MW with a game in hand, having already had the bye in round 2.

Won’t let me paste the table, but here it is:

MW 26
Mangakahia 25 or 26 (their official result isn’t in so unsure about BP)
Southern 25
Tomarata 25
Whangaruru 18
Pipiwai 10
DOB -1

I use snipping tool to copy/paste.