Tight contests in store for semifinals
The four teams contesting the Stuff Tasman Trophy semi-finals have followed different paths, but all have a good case for making the final.
Top-of-the-table Waimea Old Boys take on fourth-placed Kahurangi at Jubilee Park and second-placed Marist square off against third-placed Nelson at Trafalgar Park this Saturday.
The signs are for two tight matches but the weather may put a damper on the running rugby favoured by all the semifinalists. Heavy rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday in Nelson.
The Waimea-Kahurangi semi-final is a rematch of last year’s semi which Kahurangi won on the way to their first Tasman Trophy title. But this time Waimea are at home where they edged Kahurangi 22-19 in the second round last month.
Waimea coach Scott McKenzie said his team had built well during the year, but were under no illusions it would be a “bloody good challenge” on Saturday.
If it was wet the forward battle would be crucial, as would the kicking games of the No 10’s, Waimea’s Campbell Parata and Kahurangi’s Stewart Cruden.
Kahurangi secured its semifinal place on Saturday despite a narrow loss to Marist, as Nelson beat Central in Blenheim to end the Marlborough team’s hopes. Kahurangi lost the first three matches of the season but their form in the second half has seen them push all the top teams.
Player coach Mike Wells said they were confident going into the showdown.
“I think anyone on their day can probably win it and I think we’re in with a pretty good shot.”
In the other semi-final Marist face a transformed Nelson team which finished with the wooden spoon last year. This season they have been the only team to beat Marist, twice, including a 43-28 victory two weeks ago.
But the green-and-blacks have been consistently good throughout the campaign and their big forward pack will be tough to beat, especially in the wet.
In the women’s Stuff Tasman Trophy final, Kahurangi will host Waimea at Cooks Reserve in Riwaka at 1.15pm on Saturday after Waimea beat Marist 66-10 on Friday.
Marist 29 Kahurangi 24
Marist hosted Kahurangi with the visitors needing a win to make the playoffs. They played accordingly in the opening half to go to the break with a 21-5 lead.
Marist coach Nic Smith thought that despite the scoreline his charges had played well with just some small moments of lost possession interrupting their flow. He was pleased that at halftime his captain Tom Thornalley had also identified areas to tighten up and his team adjusted accordingly.
Centre Timi Sauira was again very strong on his feet while lock Thornalley, prop Teu Sami, hooker Luke Collier and winger Isaiah Duncanson were standouts.
Locked up at 24-all with 10 minutes to go, a strong try to replacement prop Kuls Baleisomosomo secured the victory and ensured the John Goodman Challenge Trophy would remain in the Marist clubrooms over summer.
Waimea Old Boys 52 Stoke 19
The Thursday night game at Jubilee Park could have been a banana skin for Waimea which had already secured a home semi-final.
Waimea coach Scott McKenzie was pleased that his team stuck to their roles and got the job done convincingly against Stoke, with No 10 Campbell Parata and winger Karl Palmer leading the way.
Central 22 Nelson 24
Central’s slim chances of making the semis depended on them beating Nelson at Lansdowne Park, but they came up just short. Both teams scored four tries apiece, but one extra conversion by Nelson captain Fletcher Hewitt-smart made the difference. It ended a successful three years for the Blenheim-based club which became the first Marlborough side to win the trophy in 2022, repeated as champions in 2023 and lost to Kahurangi in last year’s final.
By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail
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