Northland Rugby Centneary Games - Match Reports by Steven Harris
A weekend of centenary celebrations with 3 fixtures rolled in on Saturday were the perfect tonic for many Northland rugby supporters of all levels of the game to get along to Semenoff Stadium to take in a marathon of rugby that started with the North v South Women’s FPC trial game , followed by the North v South under 21 Maori Johnny Isaac‘s memorial and finally the NPC North v South trial game
The opening fixture between the respective North Zone v South Zone FPC squads highlighted the talent that Northland Kauri coaches Cheryl Smith and Susan Dawson have at their disposal and will no doubt lead to some lively debate especially in and around several newcomers.
However it was one of the more established performers who was the outstanding individual in the opening game , the multi skilled Krystal Murray who opened the scoring in opening minutes and was on hand to take a return pass to touchdown in the final minute who was the star for the North Zone , in all touching down on 4 occasions, highlighting her power from close range , support play , with a bit of speed across the ground and throw in a conversion which iced a 41-12 victory over a plucky South Zone team.
For the North Zone, Murray along with fellow Kauri Tyler Nankerville were all class, Timara Leef was a perfect pivot between backs and forwards ,Tuira Stowers who bagged a double showed plenty of promise with some determined running on the wing
Number 8 Hikitia Wikiara was constant handful for the defence with her powerful running
For the South Zone, nobody tried harder than the Skipper Stacy Tupe constantly sparking many of her teams attacks , in the forwards Belinda Edwards was always a willing carrier and Paige Turner Rau coming off the bench was always a threat with ball in hand.
Final score: North Zone Women 41 South Zone Women 12
Halftime 12-0
The 2nd game of the afternoon reignited the Johnny Isaacs memorial trophy that in the past was played on a senior format between the respective North and South Zone teams for Maori Rugby supremacy.
This was the first occasion that the much-respected trophy has been played under this particular format and boy did it deliver with the respective under 21 North v South Zones laying on an absolute thriller which came down to an amazing touch line conversion from Cyrus Broughton handing his team an unlikely 40-38 victory
The South Zone team lead 24-14 at halftime on the back of 4 well taken tries, classy first five Kingi Herewini having hand in 2 of the tries and looking a player of immense promise and when they added 2 more tries with 20 minutes left on the clock to lead 38-21 , one could be forgiven for thinking they would pull away , but nobody told the North Zone team , head coach Shaun Haynes rang the changes moving Zion Going into halfback ,Flanker Zac Shanks who plays his premier rugby for Mid Northern moved into the midfield which added some much needed punch in defence Haynes also got some good mileage Remus Leef a force with ball in hand and good shift from Rai Samson who bagged a double off the bench.
The North needed to be the next try scorer and they duly obliged with prop TJ Waitai Robert’s crashing over from close range and with 10 minutes to play replacement hooker Remus Leef scored after an excellent offload from impressive lock Kiritopa Allen , surprisingly Broughton showed that he was human by missing the conversion from close range but still there was plenty of time pull off what would been an unlikely win and it would be that man Cyrus Broughton with his vision with a long pass to fullback D’angelo Tahitahi who managed to slip out of tackle and send winger Andrew Nimmo in at the the corner for the match levelling try.
Talk about a grandstand finish and with more drama to come , enter Cyrus Broughton from right out on the touch line and the rest was history with the conversion sailing high between the sticks to seal what was an incredible comeback
Broughton who plays for Eastern in the North Zone comp looks to be player of huge potential with a skill set to match playing in the unfamiliar position of centre , there was one particular moment when he was impersonating Nani Laumape with a powerful run on the cutback which was only just halted with some desperate defence .
Broughton who normally plays halfback stood up and ran the cutter from the centre position moving closer in as the game came to an exciting climax
Nurtured in the right direction Broughton has all the skills to one day represent the Taniwha at senior level .
Other players to impress for the North Zone were the two Bay of Islands locks Colt Edwards and Kiritopa Allen who were immense at lineout time and showing out prominently around the paddock ,loose forwards Reece Dephoff ,Oliver Hilton Jones and Zac Shanks were full of energy .
Lively hooker Puru Aboagye was everywhere as was replacement Remus Leef when he entered the fray .
Fullback D’Angelo Tahitahi was willing runner and winger Andrew Nimmo was always looking for extra work .
For the South Zone who played their hearts out , no one impressed more than Sage Walters Hansen who represented the Northland Taniwha Futures team earlier in the year , the Wellsford Premier player was a handful with ball in hand and physical at breakdown
Loose head prop Javahn Repia who scored a try was never far from the action and a menace with ball in hand as was number 8 Canaan Hapeta Te Kura .
In the backs Kingi Herewini who also looks like a future Taniwha player was balanced and very comfortable with ball in hand sparking many of the South Zone attacks ,offering up plenty of opportunities to his strong midfield pairing of Liam Shae Tumai and Jacob Monaghan
Talking to both head coaches Shaun Haynes and Sonny Shelford ,both were really pleased with their charges , pleased with the spirit and nature in which the players entered into what was a special occasion with so much of their Whanau and friends on hand to watch.
It was a special day North Zone manager Te Rangi Allen who had his son Kiritopa come out on the winning side of the ledger .
Both Haynes and Shelford would have loved to have selected a team from these particular squads and taken them away for a couple games to keep players engaged.
All in all a wonderful day not just for Northland Rugby but also Northland Maori Rugby
Final Score: North Zone Maori U21 40 vs South Zone Maori U21 38
Halftime 14-24
In the final game of the day , the South Zone in the Men’s NPC trial proved too strong for the North Zone coming away with a 38-19 victory after leading 19-7 at halftime.
Rene Ranger showed he is set for a big season setting up a try for busy flanker Jared Byrnes in the first half and helping himself to a try midway in the 2nd half.
In the forwards OBM number 8 Isileli Manu was handful as was Western Sharks lock Tevita Faukafa who grabbed a brace of tries.
Faukafa who has transfered from Taranaki has also been in impressive form for his Dargaville based Sharks team and would have given Northland forwards coach Graham Dewes plenty to ponder on .
What would have pleased Dewes a former Fijian international prop was the performance of all of the props on show with neither packs wanting to yield at scrum time .
For the North Zone Kaliopasi Uluilakepa was always a hand full with ball in hand landing a try from close range in the first half
And in the backs Blake Hohaia like Ranger was in top form picking up a try in the 2nd half and also being a central figure in many North Zone attacks.
Noah Cooper who made one scything run also put in a good shift from fullback doing most things right .
Replacement halfback ilai Arona from Awanui was lively and added plenty of spark off the bench and was rewarded for his efforts with a 5 pointer
Full credit to the South Zone who never really allowed the North Zone to team to claw back into the game.
Final score North Zone Men's 38 vsSouth Zone Men's 19
Halftime 19-7
Check out all the photos of the day here:
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