‘Best of three’ with Hunterville and Utiku’s Div 2 semi
How ‘bout we call it best of three?
Cause you got one
But you ain’t got the best of me
I’m swinging left-right
Till there’s nothing left in me
And Imma dress nice
I got a date with destiny
- Scott Storch (feat Breland), 2021
By Jared Smith
Strong Rangitikei rivalries for 2022 will likely play themselves out in the last two weeks of the Senior Division 2 competition, with perennial title winners Kelso Hunterville wanting to finish on top.
The small club is rebuilding after their 2021 Senior championship, with only around four regulars from that squad still active – the personnel shuffle coming at the same time as the ground moved under their feet this year with the fresh competition format.
Hunterville suffered several narrow losses in the new-look Country group – a short and sharp campaign -instead of being able to build into a regular season where they play all Senior sides in the previous format where they flourish.
“It’s been wee- on-week, haven’t been able to build the momentum like last year,” said Hunterville’s experienced player-coach Greg Parkes
“It hasn’t been a bad year by any stretch, it’s just been a frustrating one.”
In Division 2, fellow title contenders Bennett’s Taihape got their revenge after Hunterville defeated them 22-14 in the season opener with a 29-23 victory in the return clash, but since then, the men in maroon have displayed signature resolve – rattling off three straight wins to earn the other home semifinal.
This included beating this weekend’s opponent Utiku Old Boys 50-0, repaying a costly 29-24 loss in the Country group, making Saturday the rubber match – like a ‘best of three’ series.
“Utiku plays a similar game to Hunterville, [except] they have the dominance up front and we have the slick backs,” said Parkes.
“It should be a good old tussle, if we can run them around and stretch them wide, we can give them a go.
“We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”
Former Whanganui Under 18 captain Henry Kilmister has been the skipper this season of a side built around the likes of tough forward Brent Illston and experienced outside back Nick Tipling.
Parkes and his brother Scott, the current club president, have had to lace up the boots themselves to hold the line.
“It’s not ideal, but you’ve just got to do it,” Greg Parkes said.
However, there is no-one better than Tipling and the Parkes’ to impart their wisdom and sense of legacy on the new players – Hunterville having won eight WRFU Senior championships and a Division 3 title since 2009.
The semifinal draw is
Senior (1pm kickoffs unless noted, times subject to change):
Division 1
Celtic vs Kaierau, Spriggens Park
Ruapehu vs Ratana, Rochfort Park
Division 2
Hunterville vs Utiku Old Boys, Hunterville Domain
Taihape vs Counties, Memorial Park
