Kia Toa steal high-scoring thriller at the death against Freyberg

It might have been Freyberg Old Boys and Kia Toa in the guise of the Harlem Globetrotters as they amassed an amazing 84 points in glorious conditions at Colquhoun Park.

Freyberg deserved their first win of the season through scoring 41 points including seven tries on Saturday, only for Kia Toa to ruin the script by snatching 43 points to win 43-41 at the death.

The difference proved to be Freyberg scoring their tries wide out, allowing only three successful conversions, while Kias’ six tries were handier to the posts and they slotted five.

Kia Toa did pick up five competition points, enough to face unbeaten Old Boys-Marist in the first-round Jubilee Cup final at Bill Brown Park next Saturday.

READ MORE:
* New-look Yellows relieved to get first win over Freyberg while COB and Kias also grab wins
* Armstrong-Ravula pulls the strings as COB down Kia Toa
* Kia Toa’s free-running big men too much for Yellows

Freyberg had scored a try just after halftime to lead 36-10 and with 15 to go were up 41-24 after a brilliant length-of-the-field try instigated and finished by first-five Potene Rolls-Paewai, a must-watch on YouTube.

Dynamic hooker Raymond Tuputupu might have won the game for Freys, but was allowed only 40 minutes before joining the NZ under-20s for the next month. He’d already scored two tries by halftime.

While Freys’ scrum had the edge through their front row, other players back from injury began to tire and Kias, after too many errors, got their game going. They tied it up with a try under the posts two minutes from time and Alex Boblea slotted the winning kick while the 100% energised halfback Jakob Rauhihi-Collis was down with cramp.

Turbos lock Ofa Tauatevalu excelled during Kias’ second-half comeback as Freys began missing tackles up the middle and finished the last 10 with 13 men after two yellow-cards. Backs Josh Maoate and fullback Tai Rolls-Paewai also shone.

Lewis Williams and Bryce Grant have marshalled a well-drilled OB-Marist side who keep glitches to a minimum and a wounded Varsity succumbed 39-22 at the Arena.

It was 22-all until 10 minutes after halftime when OBM began to apply the screws and take control against a Varsity side missing 14 players including three hookers, three locks and four flankers.

Under OBM pressure, Varsity’s errors compounded in the second half as they ran out of juice and summoned bench players making their senior debuts.

The large crowd was earlier entertained by the running and quick passing from both sides, fullback Logan Henry (not the Turbos halfback of the same name) featuring for Varsity, scoring a try and kicking the goals.

OBM added two converted tries in the second spell and in the final 10 OBM, guided by first-five Aidan Champion, attacked the line and only brave Varsity defence prevented the score blowing out.

Wing Will Treder was an attacking threat while it often took two to three scarfies to haul in hooker Chris Cairns. Among Varsity’s finest were Henry, young lock Cody Borlase and halfback Bryan Wilson.

College Old Boys’ only loss has been to OBM on day one and their 34-19 win over Feilding at Johnston Park has them secure in third place before meeting Varsity next Saturday.

COB had the game safe after leading 17-0 at halftime and having blown other chances, despite having to defend tigerishly as the Yellows went close three times in the opening 10 minutes.

When COB got into their stride with their speed in the backs and two long-range tries, they soared out to 27-5 and later to 34-12.

Feilding though lifted in the second spell and none other than veteran Brad Carr scored two tries for the second week, coming on in the 49th minute after Andre Hoggard was injured in a head clash with Andre Taylor who was binned for it. Two of Feilding’s tries came in the last 15 minutes

Taylor was at first-five in place of Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (calf strain). COB standouts were captain Jared Goodson, flanker Jared Sellwood, giant wing Timoci Seruwalu with two tries, NZ 20s hooker Vern Bason and fullback Jayden Keelan back from playing in Spain.

For Feilding, who have used 35 players so far, Turbos Kyle Brown and Griffin Culver ran the team with class as did hooker Ricky Cribb and debut flanker Anthony Oliver.

In the women’s competition, Old Boys-Marist won 40-24 over Wairapara Wahine Toa at Solway Showgrounds in Masterton.

Kia Toa thrashed Freyberg 62-0 at Bill Brown Park.

College Old Boys defaulted to Bush.

Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua had the bye.

Scorers:

College OB 34 (Vernon Bason 2, Timoci Seruwalu 2, Vince Tahiwi-MacMillan, Jayden Keelan, tries; Andre Taylor, Keelan, cons) Feilding 19 (Brad Carr 2, Sam Hunter, tries; Carr, Andre Hoggard cons) HT 17-0.

OB-Marist 39 (Will Treder 2, Jay Rolleston, Aidan Champion, Ben Crozier, tries; Champion 2 pen, 4 con) Varsity 22 (Logan Henry, Tama Toa Ropati, Bryn Wilson, tries; Henry 2 con, pen) HT 22-all.

Kia Toa 43 (DJ Taoipu, Jakob Rauhihi, Malua Mauola, Tevita Asi, Paula Havea, Tevita Fehoko, tries; Rauhihi 4 con, pen) Freyberg 41 (Raymond Tuputupu 2, Reuben Davis, Michael Halatuituia, Potene Rolls-Paewai, Sheriff Fetu, Tyson Blackburn-Kingi, tries; Rolls-Paewai 3 con).

Points:

Men: OBM 24, Kia Toa 21, COB 19, Varsity 14, Te Kawau 9, Feilding 5, Freyberg 2.

Women: Kia Toa 20, OBM 15, Freyberg 8, Bush 8, Wairarapa 6, FOB-Ōroua 11, COB -2.