The journey began today, and what a start it was! Our team faced off against Inglewood with fire in their hearts and hope in their souls!

The whistle blew and away they went, defence, tackles, turn overs, sheer grit, keeping Inglewood at bay and then a break away by Hendrix Timoti scoring our first try in the 18th minute, unconverted, 4 minutes later Inglewood kicked it up a notch and getting their first lot of points on the board and a conversion 5 -7 at that stage, it was a game of 2 halves really and neither teams, where letting each other anywhere near the try line before half time.

The 2nd half of the game was just as epic with Tutewhenua (Tutz) Tupaea getting our next try in the 44th minute of the game and converted by Bailey Hayward-Kingi putting us back into the lead at 12-7 with even more fierce determination to push Inglewood back, and getting us back into our territory which resulted in Jahi Makiri getting our 3rd try in the  51st minute of the game, converted by Bailey now it was about maintaining that solid lead but Inglewood snuck in another try in the 72nd minute bringing the score even closer with only 7 points between the 2 teams, by then you could tell the boys wanted to keep that lead and kept fighting, dug deeper and not letting Inglewood any where near their line, 80 minutes of solid rugby emerging victorious with a 19-12 win and the Stan Cloake Challenge Cup.

Big mihi going out to our premier players who filled in and to all our coaching/management teams, the club and supporters for their time and commitment to the teams! 

Congrats to our Player of Days well deserved

3 - Kodee Evans
2 - Bailey Kingi-Hayward
1 - Sean Fredrick

Today was a day of triumph and glory!

The season is bright, and the possibilities are endless!

Nga mihi nui

Pam

PIt could not be a better fixture to start the season off.

It was always the battle of the 2023 battling teams on that cards. Both sides have publicly been seen as lacking players and depth so what better way to come up against each other to start the season.

Game time: Even though it had rained a fair bit in the morning, Yarrows number one was pristine and all go for some open rugby.

The opening ten was defiantly a tussle for territory and to sound each other out. Spotty seemed to have the upper edge but couldn’t take advantage.

Spotswood United, spent the majority of the time on attack over the first period, only to have two notched up against them. Enele was yellow carded in the 28th minute and the lads dug in deep with some good defence for the rest of the half

Inglewood lead 14 nil at half time.

Inglewood came out quick after half time and scored another converted try. Making the score 21- nil

Sptty seemed to find some fire in their belly’s lead by some good hard defence by Kale. Which lead to a converted try by our Scotland recruit Stewart Black.

The game was played between both 22s for the next 20 mins with both teams making plenty of mistakes and giving away penalties.

75 minutes gone, after some good forward and back work Rikki Sofeni managed to dive over the line for a converted try. Making the score 21 -14

The Spotty lads dug deep but couldn’t get the job done to score another try losing 14-21.

Congratulations to the 5 players that played there first game for the Premiers team Dylan Schuler, Stewart Black, Sean Frederick, Iraia Harris & Keegan Foley.

Chris Lane
Premier Manager

Photo Credit: Ben Hitchcock - TRFU