Weekend of upsets for Tasman Trophy

Central will have to travel back over the hill with their tails between their legs after a tough loss to Stoke.

With the score changing hands six times, it was anyone’s game at Greenmeadows with Stoke eventually running away with a 43-39 win. While in other results from a weekend of upsets, Kahurangi were too strong for Marist at Trafalgar Park, 31-24, and Waimea Old Boys couldn’t continue their run of form in a 44-32 loss to Moutere.

Despite Stoke losing their only two props from the lineup in the first half, hookers Lachlan Doyle and Kendall Hodson held their own against a big forward pack out for dominance.

And while Central did have the upper hand at scrum time for the first half, the tables turned as bodies started to get tired and Stoke smelt an upset.

Kendall would play a Swiss Army knife role for the team, stepping up as captain after Matt Graham-Williams departed injured and even taking over kicking duties from the tee when first-five Maloni Kunawave was yellow-carded for a penalty try inducing a purposeful knock-on.

Maloni had a standout game, coming into the team this year and making an impact almost every time he touched the ball, including his first play back from the sin-bin which resulted in a try.

With several line breaks, he was instrumental in creating the spark for the team’s last two tries as they fought to mount a comeback after being down by as many as 10 points on multiple occasions.

Two yellow cards saw Stoke leak points when down to 14 men, but they stuck with it to the death in a second half that seemed to stretch on forever.

But when Finn Nalder raced down the sideline to score an intercept try in front of the Stoke faithful to give his team a two-score lead with five minutes to go, the eruption of noise from the crowd was deafening.

Eight tries in the second half saw see-sawing action as the teams traded blows, with coach Joe Kirker saying the coaching team was laughing after the game at their desire for the game clock to hurry up or to slow down, depending on their current predicament.

“The last couple of weeks and even the first half [today], we’ve been our own worst enemies.

“But it was a case of ‘who wants it more’ and the boys stepped up.

“We’re stoked to get that win.”

Joe was impressed with how the front rowers banded together in the face of injury, saying the put in massive minutes.

“The halftime message was pretty simple, just saying it was going to be a case of who wanted it more.”

Central captain Mitch Smith says it’s tough to come away from a back-and-forth game with a loss.

“Stoke definitely rose to the occasion. I feel like we played a lot of rushed rugby.

“We let ourselves down getting to that situation where a try at the end isn’t enough.”

Mitch was impressed with his forwards’ performances, saying lock Mathew McCormick had a standout game with his strong ball running.

Stoke 43 (Kendall Hodson, Jason Ifopo, Maloni Kunawave 2, Tayne Hemopo, Finn Nalder tries; Kunawave 2, Hodson 3 conversions; Hodson penalty).

Central 39 (Cameron Hansford, Cody Weir, Mitchell Smith,  Logan Murphy 2, Koloa Fotu tries;  Hansford conversion; penalty try).