First points but for whom?
26th March 2010 02:28PM
Hautapu have been there before, winning four Waikato club rugby championships and regularly visiting the playoffs.
Otorohanga are still trying to get there, having reached the semifinals twice in their relatively short time in the competition.
But when they clash at Island Reserve, Otorohanga, tomorrow they will have one thing in common – they are both coming off first-up losses.
OTC Otorohanga get to host for the first time in 2010, having pushed one of last season's form teams – Hamilton Old Boys – all the way in a 15-10 loss last weekend in Hamilton.
It is their second season under the coaching of former loose forward James White and while they have lost locks Teia Tuuta to Melville and Lukas Quinn to Waitomo, they still have the core of last year's team.
White and his team came away from Fred Jones Park last Saturday with mixed emotions – on the one hand they had blown a great chance to score a major early scalp but on the other they had done it in what was virtually their first game together as a squad this year after a limited pre-season.
"We had our chances but we just didn't take them," White said.
They came agonisingly close to scoring a second try and a chance to win the game, the ball being knocked out of a player's hands from behind as he dived for the line, while simple catch-and-pass errors ruined another couple of shots at points.
"But we definitely came away with a lot more positives than negatives."
Maori representative fixtures took many Otorohanga players away to both Waikato and King Country teams, disrupting the pre-season. The one trial game against Rotoiti had to involve senior A and B as well as under-21 players and also caused a hip injury to hooker Brad van der Heyden.
"But last week we had everyone at training and we started to come right from there.
"To come up against Old Boys and lose by just five was disappointing but for everything we went through before that it was also fairly pleasing," White said.
Among the positives were the performances of new hard-grafting blind-side flanker Hayden Buckman and young winger Sefo Burke from Te Awamutu.
Promoted from the under-21 grade was first-five Jesse Martin, who showed he has a good boot on him and combined well with second-five and captain Hone Wanden.
Last year White was faced with rebuilding a team that had lost 12 players and his policy has been to do it with young local talent to build the local player base and strengthen the home-town feel about the team and the club.
The clubrooms are in the middle of a rebuild and that has included a new gym that has been put to good use over the summer.
Hautapu provide another tough test for Otorohanga but White said he would rather have it that way – a hard start to the season to prepare his players for the season ahead, rather than easing them in.
APL Hautapu are still smarting from their 37-22 home loss to Hamilton Marist last weekend, but they are rebuilding with a number of young players after a bit of a talent drain in the off-season.
"We had the opportunity to play some players in the their first senior game and we're looking to build on that performance," coach Dave Simes said, playing down just how many teenagers got their first taste of that level of rugby since leaving school at the end of last year.
"Overall I'm pleased with the guys who played their first game but we're certainly looking for an improvement this week. We just need to find more consistency through the game."
The positives had been the periods when they did manage to hold on to the ball on attack and build some continuity and pressure as a result.
"We scored three tries and they all came from consistent buildup, while we finished strongly so our fitness is okay for this time of year."
Simes saw his players grow in confidence as the game wore on against Marist and they were able to get some continuity of possession and front-foot ball so there will not be too many personnel chances this week as he seeks that consistency of performance.
Hautapu are still waiting on one or two experienced players to return, including loose forward Jordan Smiler who at the Hong Kong 10s, while halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who was allowed only limited minutes last weekend is unlikely to be available to play this week after turning out for the Chiefs Development side on Wednesday.
But last year's national schools captain Pappa Wharewera performed well in Kerr-Barlow's place, while among the more experienced players to impress against Marist were tight forwards Taiapa Tomlinson and skipper Kent Fife, along with outside backs Ruamai Erueti and Bauro Kairaoi.
"To their credit Marist took the opportunities when they came along and for us it is about lessening those opportunities for the opposition.
"Otorohanga are always strong and apparently are competitive across the park – forwards and backs – this year so we are certainly anticipating a tough battle down there.
"But it's a challenge we're looking forward to," Simes said.
Marist get to play their first home game when they host fellow first-up winners Melville at Marist Park tomorrow.
Last week's biggest winners – Ecolab Te Awamutu Sports – travel to Hamilton tomorrow to play one of the unluckiest losers – Seafood Bazaar Te Rapa – at St Andrews Park, while the other team to claim maximum points last week, Shenanigans Fraser-Tech, go to Bedford Park to take on Reid and Harrison United Matamata Sports.
Hamilton Old Boys head to Stan Heather Park to play away to University in one of only two clashes between sides that both won their first-round fixtures, while the other match tomorrow is between defending champions Wagon Wheel Bakery Morrinsville Sports and Taupiri Tavern Taupiri at Campbell Park, Morrinsville.
