Winter certainly hit with a vengeance on the weekend. Damp and cold – Rugby
season!!
My day started with a trip to Kilbirnie to watch our Colts take on MSP. In the first few minutes MSP threw everything at our Boys. Then against the run of play, our Colts broke out, scored a try and as they say – the rest was history! A very good outcome played in Arctic conditions.
Next door our Premier 2’s played Poneke. This was one hell of a game swinging like a pendulum for 80 minutes. There was hope for both sides wanting a win and the weather was not helping either side. Less than 10 to go, Coach Thomas made some changes and rested a couple of Boys who had fought well and were spent. At this time it was 13-12 to Poneke. With time almost up, a deserved try was scored. Our Premier 2’s kept their Winning Season
with no losses, on track. Great game in appalling conditions.
The Reserves had a tough day up the Coast. Pare-Plim obviously pulled something out of the bag after defaulting twice this Season.
I saw the start of the Prezzies playing MSP, but did not hear the result unfortunately.
Back to The Fortress. Suffice to say – TJ Perenara. TJ absolutely ran the Norths backs like a General on fire, even though he was playing out of his usual position – or was he?? The conditions were getting worse in Sunny Tawa and our Boys were trying hard, but the damage kept coming from either an accurate boot of the First Five or the 1st 5 creating holes that at first did not seem to be there. There was a lesson shown that we can only
learn from.
Super Rugby lived up to a match that we not only expected, but indeed received. Up until the heart-breaking Blues try near the end, the game could have gone any way. The Trans Tasman competition was a grand spectacle that kept giving, even when Covid reared its ugly presence to try to disrupt. Lets hope this continues.
Supercars were in Darwin with our Kiwis ever present. Chas Mostert took Race 12 on Saturday in a Holden, with Shane van Gisbergen taking Race 13 & 14 in his trusty Red Lion. Shane’s Red Bull team member, Jamie Whincup had two 3rds in his Holden. Not bad for a Car supposedly past its “use by date” – not my words! The Lion lives on.
The Darwin event also had Superbike racing. One of the great Superbike racers from Ozzie, Troy Bayliss was at the event to support his Son, Oli. At 17 years old, he was riding well above his age at this early stage of his career. A name to watch.
