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Counties Power Club Rugby Round Up 17 July
18 July 2010
Waiuku are now the official holders of the McNamara Cup after beating Pukekohe 25-20 in the final of the Counties Power Club Rugby.
The whole town got behind Waiuku rugby team, and was decked out in red and green with signs cheering on the team in shop and car windows and children at pre-schools and schools all dressed up in the club colours in days leading up to the final and this transpired into a huge presence at Bayer Growers Stadium on Saturday.
It was everything a club final should be, intense with both teams having opportunities to win the match and the score changing hands but Waiuku played to their strength and controlled the ball up front and shut down Pukekohe in their crucially dangerous areas. Experience was a vital factor in the match and Waiuku's captain, veteran Grant Henson showed why he makes such a difference to the side but unfortunately for Pukekohe they lacked the edge of one of their more experienced player, Taiasina Tuifua who was out with concussion
Pukekohe's centre Seremia Tagkicakibau scored the first points on the board after he broke off a back move, ran 20 meters, beat his opposition and dotted down. Team mate, flanker Maama Vaipulu also showed why he is a representative player scoring a superb individual try. However in the try stakes it was Waiuku's prop Simon Leamalu who cemented his title as Top Try Score for Counties Manukau Premier Rugby in 2010 by picking up two tries in the finals to give him a grand total of 14 for the season, two ahead of his closest contender, Pukekohe's winger David Raikuna who ended the season on 12.
Near the end of the game the referee gave Pukekohe's Brendon Farrell ten in the bin and then with five minutes to go Waiuku's, Notise Tauafoa scored to give Waiuku the lead. Waiuku's Bayden Morery converted two tries and slotted two penalties and Pukekohe's Rob Dennison racked up the exact same amount of points for Pukekohe with his two conversions and two penalties.
Waiuku arrived back to their club rooms to a tradition Maori welcome then a guard of honour was formed for the players as they got off the bus. The celebrations continued on all night then started again on Sunday, with some even suggesting statutes of coaches John Bell, Peter Summerville and manager Bruce Thompson should be erected in the town.
Pukekohe can still take heart from their campaign this season and the Pukekohe Rugby Club still have another final berth in sights with their U19 currently top of the table going into the semi-finals this coming weekend.
In the Bob Chandler Memorial Premier Reserve Final Ardmore Marist have something to celebrate after beating Waiuku 21- 5. Ardmore Marist dominated the game from the first half and played more sensible rugby which saw them maximize any mistakes that Waiuku made.
In the Division two grade Papakura B&G Boyce beat Puni 15- 9, Onewhero ITM beat Te Kauwhata 22- 0 Weymouth White and Weymouth Blue had a tight match with the White team edging out fellow club mates 16-15 and Onewhero Profarm beat Tuakau 24-10.
In the Massey Cup U21 Final Patumahoe beat Pukekohe 11-5 to take the title. Pukekohe had plenty of possession but Patumahoe played good team rugby which proved to be the difference in the end.
In the last round of the U19 Grade Karaka beat Waiuku 22-3, Onewhero Farmlands beat Drury 19-12, Patumahoe scored 52 unanswered points against Onewhero Pak N Save and Pukekohe also scored 62 unanswered points against Papakura. This coming weekend the Bright Cup U19 Semi-Finals are:
1:00 pm Pukekohe v Waiuku @ Pukekohe
1:00pm Karaka v Onewhero Farmlands @ Karaka
The Counties Manukau Steelers are playing North Harbour at Bayer Growers Stadium this Wednesday 21 July at 6.00pm in a pre-season match. The curtain raiser is Pukekohe High School 1st Xv v Manurewa 1st Xv and that kicks off at 4.10pm. Tickets are $10 with kids Under 5 Free and season pass holders are FREE when they present their pass at the gates.
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