For the neutral observer, it was pure entertainment – for the Thames Valley fans, a great day out.
For supporters of the home team, the clash between Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay Weka and Co Thames Valley Swamp-Foxes at Gisborne Oval 2 was a tough watch.
The 71-17 win to the David Harrison-Joe Murray-coached Valley in Week 7 of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship on Saturday was their 24th win in 56 meetings between the sides.
Bay head coach Miah Nikora said: “We started well, scoring early, playing as we’d trained to do but – as in previous games – unforced errors and struggles to exit our own territory proved to be very costly.
Against some teams, if you do that, you might not get punished to the same extent, but Thames Valley are all class – fit, fast, physical and with plenty of strike-power throughout the team.
They have the goods to go all the way in the Meads Cup.”
The Valley’s right wing Alex Thrupp, blindside flanker Laulea Mau and 50-game lock Brett Ranga all scored try doubles in a top exhibition.
“We’re pleased with the result, but rugby is an 80-minute performance, which we’re still searching for,” Valley co-head coach Joe Murray said.
“Conditions were excellent – that made for good running rugby from both teams – and our boys got rich reward for their efforts.”
Bay captain hooker Shayde Skudder won the coin-toss and the visitors made a pinpoint accurate start at the kickoff: Swamp-Foxes first five Todd Doolan, with the easterly breeze at his back, found touch on the left side, on the bounce, at the 22.
But Poverty Bay scored a try to put the cat among the pigeons in the third minute of play.
Their centre Mitchell Purvis, 15m from halfway on the left side of the ground, was struck by a pass from Ranga to centre Rodney Tongotea, and toed the ball down the ground to within 5m of the goal-line.
His next left-foot kick was an air swing and the Weka left wing Iowane was on hand to pop a pass up to fullback Matt Proffit 16m in from the corner for 5-0.
The hosts were playing with skill and enterprise.
Thames Valley, stung into action, drew level in the seventh minute: from a scrum 5m off the right touch, 5m into Poverty Bay territory, impressive halfback Jake O’Connor went left, Doolan’s pop-pass found hard-running second five Fletcher Morgan, who – at the 22 – freed Thrupp up to score 11m in from the corner.
The next man to score, 14 minutes in, was Swamp Foxes hooker Josh Tye, from a lineout drive 5m from the right corner, the fruits of a superb take by their skipper No 8 Matthew Axtens. Morgan converted Tye’s try for 12-5.
After 19 minutes, on the left touch 12m from the Bay’s goal-line, Axtens, jumping at No 2, won lineout ball against the throw and over seven phases of play muscled their way to and over the tryline through Mau, 15m in from the right corner.
With Morgan’s conversion, the away team were 19-5 ahead.
In the 24th minute, Valley fullback Quinn Collard, 10m from halfway, sparked a counter-attack down the left flank.
The ball went through five sets of hands before Doolan, with his second touch in the movement, took a return pass from O’Connor and slid past Poverty Bay halfback Tione Hubbard to score under the crossbar.
Morgan converted Doolan’s try, and that of Ranga (29th minute, for 33-5), O’Connor (35m, 40-5) and Collard (40m). The halftime score was 47-5.
The visitors had kicked cleverly and accurately in general play while Poverty Bay, who spent the lion’s share of the first 40 minutes in their own half, had on occasion both turned Thames Valley around and stretched their defence.
The Bay sprung a surprise on their opponents four minutes after the resumption with a brilliant ploy at a short lineout 7m from the left corner.
Loosehead prop Nick Patumaka stood guard at the front, the other forwards scuttled back – creating a gap – and Hubbard raced in, held Skudder’s throw and beat O’Connor and Tye to score 8m infield.
The score then was Thames 47, Poverty Bay 10.
The Valley crossed again in the 52nd minute.
From a scrum in the middle of the ground on the Bay’s 22, Axtens went left, openside flanker Keenan Gillson found Ranga and Laulea took a good pass from O’Connor to score in the corner for 52-10.
Laulea’s second try was not converted, and nor was that of Thrupp in the 54th minute, but in the 72nd minute, Ranga completed his double – that try was converted by Doolan – and Ranga, a left-footer, did the honours for hard-working left wing Sione Etoni in the 81st minute.
For loyal locals, the try of the day was scored by Scarlet and Whites No 8 Hugh Taylor.
Swamp Foxes centre Rodney Tongotea, from the left side of Gisborne Oval 2, launched a wiper’s kick cross-field from 22 to 22.
Bay left wing Iowane Filimone, a compact ball of muscle, proceeded to steamroll reserve halfback Asher Delany then split two would-be tacklers as he tight-roped the left sideline to link up with reserve centre Ethine Reeves, Reeves then getting a great last pass to No 8 Hugh Taylor.
Taylor scored 7m in from the corner.
Rugby Scoreboard
Week 7, Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship (Saturday, September 28)
Ground No.2, Gisborne Oval.
Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay Weka 17 (Matthew Proffit, Tione Hubbard, Hugh Taylor tries; Rana Hubbard con) TLC King Country Rams H.G. Leach and Co Thames Valley Swamp-Foxes 71 (Alex Thrupp 2, Laulea Mau 2, Brett Ranga 2, Josh Tye, Todd Doolan, Jake O’Connor, Quinn Collard, Sione Etoni tries; Fletcher Morgan 6 con, Doolan con, Ranga con). HT CPS Poverty Bay Weka 5 Thames Valley 47.
Fraser Park, Timaru
Makikihi Fries South Canterbury 32 (Siu Kakala, Clarence Moli, Lisiate Folau, Connor Anderson, Anthony Amato tries; Willie Wright con, Fa’aele Iosua pen, con) Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi 15 (Pamona Samupo, Joe Royal, Fletcher Carpenter tries). HT South Canterbury 5 NPEC 5.
Victoria Square, Westport
Francis Mining Buller 14 Ag-Staff Mid Canterbury Hammers 59. HT Mid Canterbury 40-7.
Levin Domain
Horowhenua-Kāpiti 28 Steelform Whanganui 72. HT Whanganui 34-14.
Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
King Country Rams 32 McKeown Petroleum North Otago 17. HT North Otago 17 North Otago 8.
Trust House Memorial Park, Masterton
Copthorne Wairarapa-Bush 38 West Coast 31. HT West Coast 24-5.
Heartland Championship Standings
South Canterbury 7 wins from 7 games, 35 competition points; Whanganui 6-7, 31 pts; Thames Valley 6-7, 29 pts; Mid-Canterbury 5-7, 25 pts; King Country 4-7, 23 pts; West Coast 3-7, 18 pts; Horowhenua-Kāpiti 3-7, 17 pts; NPEC 3-7, 15 pts; Wairarapa-Bush 2-7, 12 pts, Buller 2-7, 10 pts; North Otago 1-7, 9 pts; Poverty Bay 0-7, 5 pts.