Expats come home in Manawatu Maori colours to hammer their brethren
By Jared Smith
While several expat Whanganui junior and senior representatives were starring in the Bunnings NPC opening round, a few more came back to their old stomping grounds to cut loose in Maori rugby on Saturday.
Playing at an earlier time of the season than in years where they have prospered with stronger lineups, Whanganui Maori suffered a heavy 78-10 loss to their Manawatu counterparts in the Cooks Gardens curtain raiser.
Manawatu Maori scored 12 tries to two, which included a hat-trick from flanker Jason Myers, a try and conversion from first-five Te Atawhai Mason, and another five-pointer from winger Shaquille Sue-Waara.
Myers, the former NZ Heartland Under 19’s captain, is a product of Whanganui Collegiate, where he was a team mate of Mason, a Whanganui U18 rep, while Ruapehu Premier-title winner Waara played Heartland Hurricanes and Whanganui U20 with Myers, and ironically appeared for Whanganui Maori himself.
Mason and halfback Ben Stephens (two tries, seven conversions) had full control of the game as their strong side, which included wider Turbos squad members like Myers, laid the platform with speed, strength and continuity.
Down 24-0 going into the strong winds, Whanganui finally got some territory through a succession of penalties, setting for a drive to put Kayden Shedlock the line.
Entering the final quarter, they were able to introduce Whanganui Heartland squad members off the bench in halfback Cameron Davies, prop Jack van Bussel and lock Josefa Rokotakala, who would do double-duty in the main fixture against Hawke’s Bay Development.
Van Bussel bashed his way over for a try to make it 57-10, but Manawatu cut loose in the last ten minutes for three more breakout tries off scything runs and kick-and-chase tactics.
Manawatu Maori 78 (Jason Myers 3, Ben Stephens 2, Max Harris 2, Varcon King, Shaquille Sue-Waara, Te Atawhai Mason, Matt Maoate, Andrew McDougall tries; Stephens 7 con, Mason con, McDougall con) bt Whanganui Maori 10 (Kayden Shedlock, Jack van Bussel tries). HT: 38-5.
