By Peter Jones [Marlborough App]
The E’stel Tasman Trophy club rugby points table does not make pretty reading for the Marlborough clubs involved.
In fact, the standings are divided in two, the six Nelson sides filling the top placings with the five Marlborough-based teams bringing up the rear.
After 10 cross-over games only one Marlborough team, East Coast, have tasted victory, suggesting a drastic imbalance in strength across the Whangamoas.
Central and Red Devils coach Mark Stewart said sometimes it seems the Nelson boys “want it a bit more”.
“They are often a bit more professional in their approach. While our teams all want to win, many of the Nelson teams expect to win.”
He also noted the fact the bulk of Tasman Academy players ended up playing for Nelson clubs.
“We don’t get too many of the Academy boys on this side … that’s probably one of the issues but, having said that, a lot of the Nelson clubs are very pro-active in seeking players.
“We are competitive though. Man-for-man we stack up OK but we probably haven’t got the same depth on this side of the hill.”
Blues captain Reyne Volavola said a one-game pre-season build-up had hurt their preparations.
“The first Tasman Trophy game was our first hit-out as a full squad so we are a bit underdone. There’s plenty of talent out there.
“I don’t see a big gap between the Marlborough and Nelson sides. If anything the gap is closing.
“It used to be the ‘big brother’ thing but now we look forward to playing them because they often think they are a bit better so it’s always good to get one over them. Not that we’ve got one yet, but we will get better. Discipline is the key.”
Wanderers’ skipper Fletcher Matthews also didn’t see a wide imbalance among the Tasman Trophy rivals, suggesting all clubs have their ups-and-downs and the competition is bound to get closer.
“It’s pretty hard rugby every week ... it doesn’t matter who you play, getting a win over here is going to be tough.
“We enjoy the trip over the hill, it’s a great excuse to have a bus trip and good for team building.”
Saturday’s draw offered Marlborough teams a grand opportunity to get some parity in proceedings with all the games being played on this side of the hill.
However, all but East Coast struggled to get the job done.
The gutsy Coasters, playing at Seddon’s Car Horn Valley, downed Nelson 27-24, consigning the defending champions to their second consecutive loss after going down to Wanderers last weekend.
East Coast led 5-0 after an even first half when both sides spurned several chances to score, but quickly fell 17-10 behind to a spirited Nelson comeback.
However the country crew soon levelled the scores and went 24-17 ahead with a well-worked lineout drive. Again Nelson came back to level the score in the dying minutes, before an injury time Myles Hamilton penalty got the job done for the home side.
East Coast head coach Sam Lunn put his side’s bonus point win down to “mostly attitude”.
“The backline line really stood up today and Myles at first five controlled the game well. We didn’t slip back into old East Coast ways of just punching it up through the forwards.”
Lunn said prop Seymour Lambert and Hamilton were standouts, although all of the 17 players they had on deck “contributing across the park”.
“It was good to come out on top of that tight situation without crumbling. The win will give the boys a real mental boost.”
As if taking on an in-form Wanderers side wasn’t tough enough for Central, they had to play most of the match at Lansdowne Park with 14 men after prop Peter Vakaloa was sent off for punching midway through the first half.
The visitors came out on top 36-17 in a fiery and at times ill-tempered encounter, both sides lamenting poor discipline at the final whistle.
Wanderers shot out the blocks, rattling up three early tries, two converted by first five Justin Barr, to take a 19-0 lead.
Central hit back with a Jesse MacDonald touchdown from a lineout drive before Vakaloa got his marching orders.
A Glen Smith penalty saw Central close the gap to 19-10 at halftime, then a penalty try put the Blues within two points early in the second 40, lifting local spirits.
However, it was the visitors who finished stronger, bagging two converted tries and a late penalty to close it out 36-17.
No 8 Gabba de Kock, hooker Ryan Coxon and fullback Fletcher Matthews stood out for Wanderers while flanker Braden Stewart, winger Simi Volavola and centre Jake Cresswell were the Blues’ best.
Coach Stewart said his side were often their own worst enemies, “we are a good side, but we have brain explosions, we make bad choices … it’s OK to have guys express themselves but we are often making the wrong decisions.”
At Renwick, Stoke took the John Goodman Challenge Trophy off Renwick, downing the Green Machine 29-7, Moutere lost 39-32 to Kahurangi at Awarua Park and Waitohi went down 42-26 to a rampant Waimea Old Boys outfit in Picton.
Results:
East Coast 27 Nelson 24. HT: 5-0
Wanderers 36 Central 17. HT: 19-10
Stoke 29 Renwick 7. HT: 15-0
Kahurangi 39 Moutere 32. HT: 24-13
Waimea Old Boys 42 Waitohi 26. HT: 28-12
Standings after round three:
Waimea Old Boys 14, Wanderers 13, Marist 10, Kahurangi 10, Nelson 7, Stoke 6, Waitohi 6, East Coast 5, Central 5, Moutere 2, Renwick 1.
Next week’s draw:
Renwick v Central at Renwick
East Coast v Moutere at Seddon
Nelson v Stoke at Trafalgar Park (1.15pm)
Wanderers v Marist at Trafalgar Park (3pm)
Kahurangi v Waimea Old Boys at Riwaka
Waitohi the Bye