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Back to newsCounties Power Club Rugby Semi-Finals Round Up – July 16, 2016
Sun, 17 Jul 2016
Congratulations to all teams who have made next week’s Counties Power Club Rugby finals.
Special mention goes to the Ardmore Marist Premier Women’s side who pushed Rifles Thunderbirds right until the last minute in their Coleman Shield final at College Rifles, but unfortunately fell just short with a converted try to the home side right on full time stealing the victory, 7-5.
Defending McNamara Cup Premier champions Bombay Gough Cat secured their place in next week’s final with a 31-16 win over Pukekohe Mitre 10 Mega on the hill. The hosts got off to a flying start and went into the half time break with a 25-6 lead.
Bombay coach Jeff Marr said a lot of the damage had been done in the first half.
“The last time we played Pukekohe we felt we didn’t finish off our opportunities so we felt this time around we had to put that extra bit of detail in to maximise those opportunities. We just threw everything at them in that first half and to have four tries before half time was a telling blow to be honest. To Pukekohe’s credit they battled back in the second half but the work had already been done.”
Marr said it was hard to single any one player out in his side because they all played well.
“They were all champs to be honest. Our lock Matiaha Martin had a massive game, not only in the line out but he was huge on defence. Kalolo Tuiloma and Liam Daniela were great, as well as our openside flanker Mitchell Thackham. Ki Anufe at first-five had probably the best game he’s had in Bombay colours yesterday. He was strong on defence and is really coming into form at the right time.”
Shaun Muir, Benjamin Masoe, Sepuloni Taufa and Kalolo Tuiloma all scored for Bombay, while Ki Anufe kicked a conversion and three penalties. For Pukekohe, Jared Page and Trent White scored tries, with Nathan De Thierry kicking two penalties.
It was extremely close in the other McNamara Cup semi-final between Karaka and Ardmore Marist South Auckland Motors, with Ardmore Marist clinching a 14-13 victory.
Karaka led 3-0 at half time. Ardmore Marist president Glenn Flavell said the game came right down to the wire.
“Either side could have won yesterday. Louis Kapateni scored in the last minute, and Luteru Laulala kicked the conversion to give us the win. Karaka’s defence really held strong, but our big boys muscled up and kept hammering the line and we managed to get over in the end. It was a great finish to a great game.”
Flavell said he’s proud of the Premier side and the rest of the club.
“As a club we had four teams in the semis and the women in the final, now we have three teams in next week’s final so we’re stoked. In terms of the Premier side we had been written off eight weeks ago and we did the maths and just said we need to keep winning, that’s all we had to do. We started to play good 80 minute football and we got there in the end.”
Ardmore Marist have a couple of niggles which will be closely managed throughout the week.
In the Sid Marshall Shield Premier semi-finals, Patumahoe Hotel defeated a spirited Manurewa 36-21 at Patumahoe. The home side had a 17-8 lead at half time. Alex Eruera and Harley Jenkins scored a couple of tries for Patumahoe, while Jonny Wilkinson and Sam Furniss also dotted down. Riley Hohepa kicked three conversions. For Manurewa, Teisam Faimasasa, Shaun Kingi-Murray and Bradley Wade scored tries, with Teina Tiavare and Jordan Ah-chong kicking a penalty each.
Onewhero Counties Bulk Haulage/Carters had a great battle with Waiuku Brian James Contracting in the other Sid Marshall Shield semi. Onewhero came away with the result, 27-24.
Onewhero coach Adam Cathcart said they started the match really well.
“Like our previous two games, our first 20 minutes was really strong. We were up about 2 or 3 tries, but then typical Waiuku came back and fought their way back into the game. They scored just before half time and we were up 22-19 at the break. The second spell was a bit of an arm wrestle, but we held in there and came away with the result.”
Hooker Andrew Jones scored a couple of nice tries for Onewhero. Cathcart said Leroy Jack played really well, and prop Robert Katu was named player of the day.
Onewhero got down to their third string halfback during the game. Richard Judd got a cut to the head and they didn’t have a halfback on the bench so fullback Vaughan Holdt slotted into number 9 before rolling his ankle. They then called upon their centre to finish off the match.
Karaka confirmed their place in the Bob Chandler Memorial Premier Reserve final with a 22-14 win over Bombay Pokeno Bacon, and they’ll play Ardmore Marist Harcourt’s who defeated Pukekohe 22-17 in their semi-final.
In the Bill Marsh Cup Premier Reserves, Manurewa beat Waiuku 24-20 in their semi-final, while Patumahoe Hutton Builders beat Onewhero Hinemoa Produce/Livestock NZ 38-0.
In the Massey Cup Under 21 semi-finals, Pukekohe defeated Bombay Roger Gill Agriculture 37-7 and Patumahoe Albycon Ltd came away with a close 19-15 win over Ardmore Marist Ross Roof Group.
Patumahoe Pak ‘N’ Save proved too good for Karaka in their Under 85kg semi-final, winning 46-5 and in the other match up Ardmore Marist Harcourt’s beat Bombay Lincoln Farms 23-18.
And in the Under 20 Plate, Beachlands Maraetai fell to Papatoetoe 19-0. Pukekohe had a bye.
CMRFU Counties Power Club FINALS DRAW - Saturday 23 July 2016
McNamara Cup (Premier) – 2:45pm, ECOLight Stadium 1
Bombay Gough Cat v Ardmore Marist South Auckland Motors
Sid Marshall Shield (Premier) – 1:00pm, ECOLight Stadium 1
Patumahoe Hotel v Onewhero Counties Bulk Haulage
Bob Chandler Memorial (Premier Reserve) – 1:00pm, ECOLight Stadium 2
Karaka v Ardmore Marist Harcourt’s
Bill Marsh Cup (Premier Reserves) – 11:00am, ECOLight Stadium 2
Patumahoe Hutton Builders v Manurewa
Massey Cup (U21) – 1:00pm, Pukekohe (Colin Lawrie Field 1)
Pukekohe v Patumahoe Albycon Ltd
Under 85kg – 1:00pm, Patumahoe
Patumahoe Pak N Save v Ardmore Marist Harcourt’s
All information supplied by coaches and team sheets.
Richard Spranger – Photo Credit
