The day of the Texans: Napier club bags two rugby titles

The Texans were right at home on the range as their Napier Tech Old Boys club claimed two of Hawke’s Bay club rugby’s major titles for the second year in a row today at red-Hq Whitmore Park, Napier.

The top men’s side scored 13 tries to one to beat Hastings side Tamatea 87-14 for a 20th consecutive win in Nash Cup Premier-grade first-round rugby in 2022 and 2023 – 10 wins and no losses in each of the two years, in which the only loss was in last season’s Maddison Trophy championship final.

On the same ground Whitmore Park No 1 ground a short while earlier the club also successfully defended the Hawke’s Bay Women’s Championship title – Tech’s fifth claim to the trophy in the last six years – with a five-tries-to-two 33-17 over 2021 winning club Clive.

As it happened, Tech teams had a cleansweep on the day, with wins also in Division 2 and Colts matches.

In other upper-table Premier Nash Cup matches Taradale finished second with a 27-14 win over Napier Pirate in shutting the neighbour, Waipukurau-based Central finished third with a 34-26 win over Dannevirke side Aotea at Tikokino, climbing-over Napier Old Boys Marist, which had the bye, and Hastings Rugby and Sport beat MAC 36-29 at Flaxmere, each side also making the top six.

Havelock North had a 41-29 home win over Clive, each side each already out of the running for places in the Maddison Trophy round, and now joining Pirate, Aotea and Tamatea in a five-team Division 1 championship.

The Tech men now target the 2023 Maddison Trophy round, which starts next weekend, along with Taradale, Waipukurau-based Central, Napier Old Boys Marist, which had the bye, and Hastings Rugby and Sports and MAC.

But the women’s club season is already over, with the presentation of a trophy first contested in 1992, but it’s too soon for such players as veteran Gemma Woods, who, after 21 years of women’s rugby, since she was 14, now focuses on preparation for the Hawke’s Bay Tui women’s return to NPC premiership rugby, also on July 15.

RESULTS:

Premier (Nash Cup):

Napier Tech Old Boys 87 (Fatealii (Gibson) Popoalii 3, Ted Walters 2, Nik Patumaka 2, Phagen Clarke-Winiata 2, Damien Scott, Manaaki Aranui, Xavier McCorkindale, Mark Braidwood tries; Popoalii 6, McCorkindale 5 conversions) Tamatea 17 (Tane Cooper try; Darcey Gilbert 3 penalties). Halftime: 47-6

Taradale 27 (Iakopo Petelo Mapu 2, Majella Tufuga 2, Dylan Gallien tries; Ezra Malo conversion) Napier Pirate 14 (Konradd Newland, Al Momoisea tries; Ryo Kikkawa 2 conversions).

Central 34 (Kaliova Mocetadra, Jeri Kavekai, Maximillion Fryatt, Semi Vodosese, Daniel Hardwidge tries; Tom Beachen penalty, 3 conversions) Aotea 26 (Tama Petera 2 tries; Hoera Stephenson 4 penalties, 2 conversions).

Hastings Rugby and Sports 36 (Vikta Tevita, Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Dennis Tapusoa, Oscar Sowman, Patrick Tuifua, Neria Fomai tries; Danny Toala 3 conversions) M.A.C 29 (Lexus Greening 2, Meni Manase, Elia Bari, Damarus Hokianga tries; Joshua Coward 2 conversion).

Havelock North 41 (Ben Morgan 2, Kaihau Pasikala, Avian Rihia, Brett Bakkerus, Reuben Allen tries; Cam Burgess penalty, 4 conversions) Clive 29 (Te Aranga Hakiwai, Aminiasi Koroi, Antony Wilson tries; Te Arangi Hakiwai penalty, conversion; Jayden Falcon 2 conversions).

Napier Old Boys Marist a bye.

Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): Napier Tech OB 29 Bridge Pa 17, Napier Pirate 33 Otane 24, Porangahau 33 Hastings R&S 25; Napier OBM 29 Waipawa Country United 10.

Division 2A: Takapau 28 Taradale 24, Central 34 Havelock North 5.

Division 3: Clive 57 Tamatea 24, Maraenui 48 Flaxmere 5; Taradale won by default; Napier Pirate 57 Havelock North 19, Napier OBM a bye.

Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Onga-Tiko 36 Napier Pirate 33, Clive 43 Hastings R&S 17, Napier Tech OB 46 Napier OBM 39, Havelock North 26 Taradale 19.

Women’s Championship final: Napier Tech 33 (Michaela Baker 2, Krysten Cottrell, Maia David, Chanel Atkin tries; Cottrell 4 conversion) Clive 17 (Jess Taueki, Danielle Mackay, Lisa Grant tries; Taueki conversion. Halftime: 7-12.