All teams still alive for semis after Ruapehu slip past Ngamatapouri
By Jared Smith
Uncle Boof knocked on the door of the boss upstairs, and made his request for Saturday – “bring the rain”.
An emotionally-drained McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu honoured the memory of their beloved club stalwart Mark Green with some superb touches at a soaked Rochfort Park to beat Settler’s Honey Ngamatapouri 34-27 to keep their hopes of a 14th straight Tasman Tanning Premier semifinal appearance alive.
After a service held at club for Green on Friday afternoon, while several key players were also given time off work for a deer hunt to go clear their heads, Ruapehu delivered in the steady rain and slippery mud with a classic country rugby performance – short balls on the fringes, confident recycling and the better of the territory kicking.
However, it wouldn’t be the 2021 season without a twist in the tale.
After struggling for traction and finding little success with their own tactical kicks, Ngamatapouri again finished strongly when they rolled the dice and threw the ball around with abandon.
In a wild final 12 minutes, five tries were scored – four of them by the visitors – to initially secure, then lose, then regain a second bonus point and also stay alive for the playoffs, ahead of hosting Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist up the Waitotara Valley this coming weekend.
Just like last year, Ruapehu currently hold the high hand, in fourth spot by a solitary point, but have an enormous task in front of them – trying to beat Waverley Harvesting Border on home turf.
Still, anything is possible, especially if hooker Roman Tutauha has another giant effort in him like he showed at home with two powerful tries, well backed by composed efforts from flanker Jamie Hughes, the man they call “Mr Hart” in Campbell, and prop Te Uhi Hakaraia, who got his team on the front foot with turnovers and setting up the opening try.
Try-scoring winger and former Byford’s Readimix Taihape player Cyrus Tasi was a handful until getting injured in the final quarter, while second-five Royce Trow may have a rudimentary goal kicking style, but he slotted his first four attempts from difficult angles in the conditions for what proved a crucial nine points.
But after subbing some of their key men, Ruapehu could no longer contain some of Ngamatapouri’s big ball-runners, who prefer a broken-field style of game, and after capitalising on loose offloads to steal two tries, the visitors kept it up to pull within seven points and save their season.
Lock Mairangi Tamehana had a tough lineout test against Hart and another Ruapehu legend turning back the clock in Nick Cranston, but scored a 75m intercept try and set up another five-pointer to No8 Josia Dawai.
Winger Joeli Rauca had few chances until the end of the game but made them count, while fullback Te Rau Whirihana and his first-five brother Te Rui showed a couple of nice touches with the boot, adding a different facet to their team’s usual Pacific flair.
Midfielders Timoci ‘Jim’ Seruwalu and Kalolo Siloa made some strong carries, with Seruwalu having the decisive run to get his side back in range with time expired, before taking a tap penalty and burrowing over for the double bonus.
“Should have started earlier, that’s just the way the game went,” said Ngamatapouri manager Gerald Pearce.
“That first quarter of an hour after halftime hurt us – they got three in that time – that’s where the game was lost, and it was catch-up rugby.
“But we’re forever hopeful [next week].”
After such an emotional four days, Kim McNaught would have preferred to shut the door on Ngamatapouri’s playoff chances – while hoping they could still tip up Marist while being unable to overtake his side.
Still, he knew Green had the best seat in the house, watching from above.
“He’s shedding a tear for us. We said to the boys, ‘I was hoping it was raining to slow that pace they have’, and it certainly did.
“But credit to them, they came back and they pushed us to the wire.
“We tried to keep them pinned down [at the end], but I think we only kicked once in that second half.
“We’ll take this result, and you never know what happens down with Border, we’ve been down there and done it before.
“So hopefully Uncle Boof shines his light on us next weekend.”
The coach had to single out Tutauha, who after missing 2020 has returned to his inspiring best.
“It was vintage. He’s like wine, mate, get’s better with age. It’s good having him back.”
Controlling the wet ball was hard for both sides in the opening exchanges, until Hakaraia made two big plays – ripping back possession to set his team on attack, with Ngamatapouri penalised for pass interference, and after the pack rumbled up from the lineout, Hakaraia again worked the short side to put winger Taina Wallace over untouched, with Trow just causally popping his conversion over the crossbar from the sideline.
Not the regular kicker, Trow added another penalty from long range, and Ruapehu looked to consolidate their 10-0 lead by halftime.
But Ngamatapouri gave warning they are always dangerous, as after a tap penalty and a bit of luck in regaining the grubber kick, they spread for Te Rui Whirihana to put up a corner chip kick where the footing was still firm, and Rauca dived to score right in front of the dead ball line for 10-5 at the break.
Ruapehu’s forwards took control after the resumption, as a tighthead in front of Ngamatapouri’s posts had them on attack, and after a penalty and a little fracas between the packs, they took a penalty lineout and Tutauha ran the angle on the carry to leave bodies everywhere as he scored.
Brimming with confidence now, Ruapehu kept up the short balls on the ruck fringes to get straight back on attack, as centre Gavin Martin took a pass off his bootlaces to feed Hughes, who sent Hart rampaging wide to also leave bodies laying for 24-5.
Strong carries towards the posts and then swinging back to the profitable scoreboard corner was all it took for Tasi to get outside the cover and land back-first over the line in the tackle, making it three tries in nine minutes.
At 29-5, however, Ruapehu got a little too ambitious after Tasi made a great run during the movement where he was injured, and Tamehana snatched a loose pass to dash back 80m to score beside the posts.
Ruapehu still kept possession for the greater share of the next eight minutes, Ngamatapouri having no choice but to try and run in the mud from their own 22m, and it seemed like Premier would have its first eliminated contender.
But with seven minutes left and the home side subbing some key players, the game busted wide open as Rauca swooped on another loose ball, hacking it ahead soccer style, and Ruapehu were pinged for holding in front of their line, with a quick tap taken for Seruwalu to slide in from close range.
While the home side stopped Siloa’s next big run, the clearing kick was put out on the full, and Ngamatapouri spread both sides before trying the chip kick, which winger Remi Halpin regathered to feed Tamehana, who dashed to the corner and set up Dawai to beat his man and score.
After neither he nor Dawai had any previous luck with their conversions, Te Rau Whirihana slotted the difficult attempt for 29-22 with three minutes left.
Having some time, Ngamatapouri gambled on a clearing kick from the restart, but didn’t count on Ruapehu flanker Jack Kinder scything his way back at them down the far touchline, and although last man Te Rau Whirihana stopped him at the chalk, Tutauha was there to be driven over.
At 34-22, again Ruapehu had the chance to end Ngamatapouri’s playoff chances, but a turnover in their half had Seruwalu steam-rolling towards the posts, and when the desperate defence was pinged for hands at the ruck, Big Jim popped straight back up to take the tap and force his way over on fulltime.
Ruapehu 34 (R Tutauha 2, T Wallace, C Hart, C Tasi tries; R Trow pen, 3 con) bt Ngamatapouri 27 (T Seruwalu 2, J Racau, M Tamehana, J Dawaii tries; T Whirihana con). HT: 10-5.
