Tight matches throughout the weekend

All eight premier rugby teams will have to work extremely hard if the first round of tight matches is anything to go by.

In the opening round of the CMK premier club competition, all four premier games were hanging on a knife edge with a draw and two matches finishing within one point.

Given the condensed season, complacency is not an option for teams chasing down a top four finish inside the seven-week competition.  

In the match of the round, Tukapa claimed bragging rights after pipping New Plymouth Old Boys 22-21 at Vogeltown Park.

Played in front of a large crowd, the home side got off to the perfect start as flanker Gabe Lauderdale-Smith charged down a Jayson Potroz kick to score inside the first two minutes.

Just before halftime, Old Boys’ first-five eighth Daniel Waite was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock on. A man down created an overlap in the backline that allowed Tukapa to score in the corner. The successful conversion narrowed the margin to 13-10 at the break to Old Boys.

The second half opened up for Tukapa as outside back Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens set up a try and scored one himself on debut.

On both occasions, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens showed his pace to slice through the defence. He provided a superb offload while falling to the ground to allow flanker Chris Jollands to score. The try he scored, was converted by Potroz from wide out.

Tukapa’s back-to-back tries made Old Boys play catch up as there was a desperate attempt to regain possession late in the match.  

In his 100^th game, Potroz kicked two conversions from wide out and a penalty. 

In the remaining matches, defending champions Spotswood United drew 20-all with Stratford/Eltham at Victoria Park.

Stratford/Eltham allowed the visitors to score two late tries to narrow the margin. First-five eighth Josh Jacomb slotted a conversion inside the last two minutes to draw level.

Both sides scored three tires, slotted a penalty and a conversion each.

Coastal scored 14 unanswered second half points against Clifton to secure a 14-11 win in Rahotu.

Clifton would have been disappointed with their second half effort.

Backs Jacob Gopperth and Troy Stevenson scored Coastal’s tries.

A last-minute penalty to Brent Aston-Landers gave Southern a 16-15 victory over Inglewood at TET Stadium.

In a scrappy game, Southern led 10-3 at halftime in a match that only featured three tries.

Photo Credit: Coco Talk

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Article added: Sunday 21 June 2020