Running rugby at the Country Club for Kaierau
By Jared Smith
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau sits on top of the Tasman Tanning Premier table heading into the last weekend of the first round after turning on the track-speed to beat McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu 59-29 on Saturday.
A flowing match at the Kaierau Country Club, although both teams still need to work some handling errors and infringements out of their game, a re-jigged home backline uncorked some lightning pace against the inexperienced visitors in the wider channels – scoring two of their nine tries from near their own tryline.
Newly arrived winger Peniani Waqatabu scored two tries and set up a couple more, proving the perfect weapon for fullback Peceli Malanicagi to set loose with counterattacks from the back.
Without playmakers Caleb Gray (concussion) and Brook Tremayne (NZ Ambassadors XV tour to Czech Republic), Kaierau had depth as 2022 Heartland Hurricanes midfielder Lafo Takiari Ah Ching made his debut and powered through for two tries, recovering from a knock to his shoulder and occasionally slipping into first receiver.
It was likewise good to see incumbent Steelform Whanganui lock Josh Lane make his return from neck injury, and the return of impact prop Raymond Salu, who laid on another breakaway try, as they along with lock Josefa Rokotakala meant the home side had three Whanganui players coming off their bench.
The loose forward trio of Doug Horrocks, Brett Joyes and Tyrone Kemp worked well together – the boisterous Horrocks being the type of on-field communicator Kaierau have sorely needed for some time.
Despite another big score against them, one must look at the positives for Ruapehu, who despite playing without the likes of injured representative hooker Roman Tutauha and being outgunned on the wings, never gave up and scored five tries for their first competition point back in Premier.
The side will certainly miss try-scoring flanker Jack Kinder when he departs on international polocrosse duties, while incumbent Whanganui prop Gabriel Hakaraia scored early and paced himself to go the whole 80 minutes.
Lock Hamish Mackay gave a typically determined effort, while centre and try-scorer Braden Clement was another to impress – with Ruapehu getting the last try of each half as they worked forward on the back of penalties at the ruck.
“Today, obviously, didn’t hit the edges and much as we’d like to, there’s some serious backs out there,” said Kaierau coach Te Ahu Teki.
“But to do that, we’ve got to just tidy up some of those areas at the breakdown, and be more aware of what’s in front of us and when the space is there.”
Ah Ching had been thrown into the deep-end for his Premier club debut outside of first-five Sheldon Pakinga, and he got the big tick from the boss.
“They’ve just come back from injury, a couple of boys that have come back into the play.
“The more game-time they get, the more confident the likes of Lafo will get, and for his first game up I thought he did very well.
“Ruapehu, they are very physical, as we knew that was going to be the case, certainly challenged our pack a little bit.”
It sets up a mouth-watering derby clash against neighbours Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist at the end of the first round – with three of the four teams playing on Saturday having a mathematical chance at the Paul Mitchell Cup.
“It was great work-out and preparation for next week against Marist. I said, pregame, ‘these guys are never going to go away, they’ll keep coming,” said Teki.
“That’s the one thing I keep saying to our guys, ‘every game’s a final’. So bring it on.”
For Ruapehu coach Andrew Evans, it was another learning curve for his side – previously they defended well for long periods but couldn’t convert turnovers into points, whereas in this match they did execute on attack but fell off on the marking up and cover tackling.
“I was really rapt with what we did when we had the ball, but we got a bit of an attitude thing on defence – it’s about working hard for each other.
“We found that out today, so got to sort that out this week [at training] for next.
“It’s more where these guys are looking and where their head space is – working hard for your mate and doing all your core skills properly at the end of the day.
“We’ve got Border, so that will be a test, to see where we are against them.”
Kaierau caught Ruapehu napping early as from their first incursion into the attacking half, Malanicagi made a probing cross kick and in a flash Waqatabu was through to snatch up the loose ball and run under the posts.
Ruapehu hit back immediately as Kaierau fumbled the kickoff and then infringed, with an attacking lineout bringing the visitors to the line, where Hakaraia went down the far side off the ruck to power through for 7-5 in six minutes.
The visitors put themselves under pressure with dropped ball off scrum wins, and then Kaierau’s backs ran back a clearing kick to halfway, where Horrocks, Kemp and Joyes all combined with lovely flat balls to put Waqatabu steaming away down the touchline to score.
Kaierau were finding gaps up the middle and only slips on the muddy turf and some desperate cover defence was stopping them, until Malanicagi instigated another breakout which led to the ball going wide and Ah Ching powering through two diving tacklers to score.
Winger Harry Unsworth made a 60m dash from his half, and after Kaierau got a penalty on the tryline, a quick tap came out to centre Apolosi Tanoa step through the last defender for 26-5 after 30 minutes.
The score was blowing out as again Kaierau found a gap running wide, with Tanoa finding Ah Ching to canter away for their fifth try.
But Ruapehu would finish the half strongly – as again they pressured a fumble at the kickoff, then halfback Kahl Elers-Green fed MacKay close the line, before transferring out to Clement, who spun out of the tackle to dive in at the corner.
Clement then grabbed an intercept and was impeded after he grubber kicked, and following a succession of tap and go penalties for Kaierau infringements, Pakinga received the yellow card after the final team warning, and No8 Kevin McDonnell climbed through the last line to score on halftime and close the gap to two converted tries.
Salu started the second half and immediately looked to impose himself, and then Kaierau’s backs uncorked a great try from deep in their 22m as Malanicagi and Tanoa combined, then a wrap-around with Waqatabu set reserve back Rusiate Lalanabaravi loose down the wing, offloading back to Malanicagi who had no-one but slower forwards left trying to catch him as he dashed away.
Locks Matt Ashworth and Mairangi Tamehana combined with Ah Ching, helped by a slight pass deflection falling their way, to attack the line again, and after several players drove at the line, halfback Eben Claassen dove off the last ruck to score for 45-17.
Kaierau then went back to the razzle-dazzle, as again from inside their own 22m, Malanicagi fired a long cut-out pass to Waqatabu, who dashed away and then put a grubber kick back in-field, where Claassen made a stunning pickup at speed to dive in and score.
But again, Ruapehu didn’t lie down, as a couple of penalties let them work the ball up before Kinder dashed wide to score in the far corner, with first-five Takarangi Metekingi making a great conversion.
Salu then got in on the breakaway act, as he fended through two tacklers and rampaged into Ruapehu’s half, finding reserve forward Fagan Lemalie with an inside pass to run off and score in the 72nd minute.
But the last say would go to Ruapehu, as Elers-Green made a big run into the attacking half, and after several players drove at the line, big reserve prop Mac-James Edmonds took the pass to dive through the last tackle in the grandstand corner.
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 59 (P Waqatabu 2, L Ah Ching 2, E Claassen 2, A Tanoa, P Malanicagi, F Lemalie tries; S Pakinga 6 con, Malanicagi con) bt McCarthy Transport Ruapehu 29 (G Hakaraia, B Clement, K McDonnell, J Kinder, M Edmonds tries; T Metekingi 2 con). HT: 33-17.
