Marist St Pats Rugby

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News from around the club: Feb to April 2010

Premiers notch up season's first win against Upper Hutt
24 April
MSP's premiers have scored their first win of the season, a 40-23 win over Upper Hutt on 24 April coming on the back of six well-constructed tries.
On a warm and dusty Maidstone Park, the team rebounded from a 16-3 deficit to put on 37 unanswered points before Upper Hutt scored a late consolation try.
Early in the game, centre Chris Slade could slot only one of several penalty attempts while Upper Hutt took all their opportunities. The home team scored two long range tries from broken play and added two penalties to be ahead 16-3 after 30 minutes.
MSP's first try came from a lineout drive in the opposition corner, hooker Ged Robinson feeding an inside ball to captain Nick Passi to crash over. From a penalty soon after, a tap and run by halfback Peter Sciascia saw Chris Slade open up the Upper Hutt midfield, the ball moving quickly to fullback Apoua Stewart who went over in the corner.
Ahead 16-15 at the break, the young Upper Hutt side threw everything at MSP in the first 10 minutes but failed to make any headway against a strong defensive line. The home side became increasingly ill-disciplined and MSP capitalised on Upper Hutt's two yellow cards.
Tries followed to Peter Sciascia, flanker Tom Dawson on debut, and two to Liu Taituave who has made a good job of moving from hooker to blindside flanker. Behind 40-16, Upper Hutt ran in a late consolation try but MSP can take heart from a match in which they reaped the rewards of good organisation and constant pressure.
The youngest and oldest members of the pack - prop Solomona Sakalia and lock Matt Egan - had strong games, while second-five Joe Wright ran powerfully and was adjudged MSP's player of the day.
In other results, the senior 1s had a good win, while the under-85 Blues, senior 3s, colts and reserves remain unbeaten.

One-point loss to Ories
17 April
The premiers led for most of the match against Ories on 17 April but lost their way in the final quarter to go down narrowly 33-32.
Despite a big improvement from the season opener, errors and poor judgement means the side has now suffered its third straight loss.
On a hot and dusty Polo Grounds, MSP had their best start to a game this season. After an early penalty, they scored an excellent try 11 minutes in to the match when first-five Fa'atonu Fili, in his 100th premier game for the club, threw a wide cut-out pass to fullback Apoua Stewart up in the line and he put winger Julian Tupai in at the corner.
Another try quickly followed, with some brilliant interpassing between halfback Peter Sciascia, No 8 Wim Baars and centre Chris Slade resulting in Chris scoring in the opposite corner.
Ories had hardly touched the ball at this stage, with No 6 Liu Taituave and lock Matt Egan prominent as the MSP forwards piled in to their work.
An exchange of penalties saw MSP out to a 16-3 lead before Ories scored under the posts to close it to 16-10. MSP went back on attack and, from a strong scrum close to the Ories line, captain Nick Passi went over. Fa'atonu nailed the sideline conversion for a 23-10 lead.
Ories scored the next try from a strong midfield break and added a penalty. Fa'atonu replied with a drop goal from out in front to have MSP ahead 26-20 at the break.
A strong start to the second half and another penalty had MSP ahead 29-20, but they were unable to score a try in the second 40 minutes. Ories managed a penalty and a long-range break-out try and although Fa'atonu pushed the score out to 32-30 with another three-pointer, Ories won the game with a late scrum penalty from out in front.
In a physical and entertaining match, young prop Jeff Allen was awarded MSP's player of the day for a solid contribution to a strong MSP forward effort.

Fa'atonu reaches 100-game milestone 17 April

FA'ATONU FILI (left) celebrated his 100th premier game for MSP in the match against Ories on 17 April. To mark the occasion, he was presented with a trophy by Ged Robinson, a teammate he has played rugby with at St Pats College, MSP, and the Wellington Lions.	Fa'atonu presents to MSP President Mick Robbers the Manu Samoa jersey he wore when representing Samoa against Wales at the Milennium Stadium in Cardiff last November. Fa'atonu donated the jersey to the club on reaching his 100-game milestone.

Freddie's big night out
17 April

Freddie Holden looking resplendent in club colours while having a big night out at the clubrooms on 17 April.
Freddie is the son of Michael Holden, who works behind the bar, and Abby, who runs the creche. He is also the grandson of club chairman John Holden and his wife Penny.

Errors costly in loss to Poneke
10 April
Despite a strong second-half performance the premiers suffered their second loss from two games in going down 14-19 to Poneke on 10 April.
The neighbouring clubs were competing for the Millar Horan Trophy at Evans Bay on a brilliantly fine afternoon. The cup will remain in the Poneke clubrooms for another year after too many MSP errors and penalties stifled a comeback from a 6-19 deficit.
Poneke were first on the scoreboard after even opening exchanges, with a dropped goal making it 3-0. Fa'atonu Fili levelled it 3-3 with a penalty after 18 minutes, but Poneke were feeding off MSP errors and turnovers. Two further penalties took them out to 9-3.
MSP fullback Apoua Stewart made a couple of sharp dabs and Fa'atonu kicked another three points, but Poneke were the first try scorers after 30 minutes. They made good ground from a quick tap as MSP missed tackles, then shifted the ball quickly to score out wide. The conversion and another penalty had Poneke ahead 19-6. As the halftime whistle blew, MSP were hammering away at the opposition line but were unable to cross.
Fa'atonu banged over a 45-metre penalty 10 minutes into the second half as MSP enjoyed more possession. Five minutes later, Apoua Stewart ran on to a brilliant cut-out pass from Fa'atonu, and the fullback put winger Marc Le in to the corner to complete a very slick backline move.
Soon after, with prop Jeff Allen spending 10 minutes in the sinbin, some superb defence from seven forwards kept Poneke at bay. Five minutes from time, with the score 14-19, MSP had a great opportunity to take the game when they opted for a scrum right in front of the posts instead of taking the penalty. However, despite Poneke being down to seven forwards, MSP botched the scrum and Poneke cleared.
Matt Egan, who has been playing NPC rugby for Hawkes Bay in recent seasons, was adjudged MSP's player of the day. Overall however, despite a more spirited performance than the previous week, the team will rue too many mistakes and lost opportunities.
In other results, the senior 1s registered a good bonus-point win over Poneke, while the senior 2s suffered their second consecutive two-point loss.

MSP walloped in season opener
3 April
Marist St Pats folded under a second-half scoring blitz from Norths and went down 26-54 in the opening game of the club season on 3 April.
After a tight first half, Norths upped the pace and intensity to score 36 second-half points while MSP could only grab a late consolation try.
On a grey afternoon at Porirua Park, Norths opened the scoring with a penalty. However, with the wind at their backs, MSP were first over the tryline. A poor Norths clearance saw the forwards drive close to the line and when the ball was swung to the blindside, second-five Joe Wright crashed over. The Fa'atonu Fili conversion made it 7-3 to MSP.
An intense physical battle up front had its first casualty after 15 minutes when prop Arden David, who was having a strong game, went off with an injured shoulder. He was replaced by Solomona Sakalia who was last year a member of the Wellington College 1st XV and a New Zealand Secondary Schools representative. It was a baptism of fire with the Norths pack boasting three Super 14 players, but the young prop acquitted himself well throughout the rest of the match.
Norths were next to score with a penalty then a blindside burst leading to a try, followed by another try after Norths fullback Buxton Popoali'i carved through the MSP backline.
A Fa'atonu Fili penalty made it 10-18, and he landed one from just inside his own half on the stroke of halftime to make it 13-18 at the break.
Further penalties were traded just after halftime, with MSP closing it to 19-21. But for the next 30 minutes it was all Norths - No 8 Faifili Levave grabbed a brace of tries and Popoali'i another two as MSP fell off the tackles.
The score stretched out to 54-19 before MSP rallied late in the game. Winger Julian Tupai cut through to score under the posts and Fa'atonu converted to collect 16 points for the afternoon.
The try was just reward for not giving up but there's a huge amount of work to be done before the team reaches last year's heights.
The news didn't get any better with Norths also winning the two early games - the senior 1s going down 15-18, and the senior 2s losing 25-27. The women's team completed a grim afternoon with a 0-34 loss to Petone.

Coaches and managers planning ahead
March

Some of the club's coaches and managers at a pre-season planning meeting: from left at back - Mick Robbers (MSP President), Pat Martin, Daniel Wilton, Andrew Robinson, Rhys Knight, Mark Witkowski and Kevin Horan.
In front: John Duignan, Geoff Owen, Amanda Payne, Mere Wilson, Tony Meachen, Sione Savainaea, Pa'ala Lefao, and Bevan Packer, with Paddy Mapu in front. See Contacts for the full list of coaches and managers.

MSP relinquishes Spillane Cup
16 March
Marist St Pats failed to retain the New Zealand Marist Spillane Cup when they went down 24-18 to Hutt Old Boys Marist in the tournament final in Hastings on 15 March. A try two minutes from time gave HOBM the win after MSP at one stage had led 18-5.
Premier coach Murray Tocker said the team fell away quite badly in the last 15 minutes. Despite losing the Cup, he said it was a valuable weekend overall.
"It gave us an opportunity to see what depth we have and, with a lot of senior players gone from last year, we were able to have a good look at the next level of players coming through."
MSP had defeated North Harbour Marist 35-18 the day before to make the final.
The club's colts team suffered a similar fate, going down narrowly to HOBM 18-16 in the final of the Moran Cup. The colts had a 31-0 win over Napier OB Marist colts the previous day.
Four MSP players were selected to the 2010 Spillane Tournament XV: Liu Taituave, Jeff Allen, Nick Passi and Fa'atonu Fili.

CHARLIE GRAHAM goes high in the lineout in the final against Hutt Old Boys Marist.

HOT WORK (from left): Tui Tuituia, Peter Sciascia and Nick Passi feel the Hawkes Bay heat.

MSP's colts were also at the Spillane tournament and, like the premiers, they too went down narrowly in their final.

Two good wins for premiers in Australia
March
MSP's premiers notched up two excellent wins against top Sydney club sides in a short Australian tour early in March.
The 25-strong squad of premier and colts players defeated Eastwood 39-12 in a night game on 2 March. Two nights later they had a 32-6 victory over North Sydney, a club where current premier coach Kevin Horan had previously coached.
The Eastwood game was played in a good spirit against a side also made up of premier and colts players. In a fast-moving encounter, MSP was far too strong upfront. Although the Eastwood backs managed to find some holes, good covering from the MSP loosies kept the score to a minimum.
Winger Ryan Setefano scored two tries, one a fine individual effort, while also on the scoresheet were blindside flanker David Jackson, first-five Anthony Bradshaw (2), second-five Dan Kauraka, and fullback Brendan Watt. Halfback Peter Sciascia kicked two conversions.
In the North Sydney game, MSP ran out 32-5 winners after holding a narrow 10-5 lead at half-time. The Norths forwards gave the MSP pack a far tougher work-out, but MSP pulled away in the second half with some good tries.
Scorers were flanker Valentine Meachen, hafback Peter Sciascia, fullback Brendan Watt, hooker Liu Taituave, blindside Hoani Siueva, and replacement first-five Dan Kauraka. Ryan Setefano kicked two conversions.

Top Samoan side at NZ Marist sevens
February

Samoa's champion rugby club, Marist St Josephs, was represented at the NZ Marist sevens tournament in Wellington early in February. The side is coached by Brian Lima, a former Marist St Pats winger. Pictured at a function for the team are (from left) Gus Slade, Simona Pale, Oliver Fidow, Brian Lima, MSP chairman John Holden, Fualauga Oliver Tafua, Keneti Tofilau, Tony Meachen and Ken Ah Kuoi.

Former MSP man stars in Clint Eastwood movie
February
Former MSP No 8 Issac 'Zak' Feaunati has a starring role in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie 'Invictus' which is currently screening in New Zealand cinemas.
Zak plays the part of Jonah Lomu in the film inspired by South Africa's run to victory in the 1995 World Cup. Morgan Freeman takes the role of the Nelson Mandela, and Matt Damon stars as South African captain Francois Pienaar.
The movie concentrates on Mandela's involvement in the Cup campaign, and how he realised rugby's importance in helping to build the fledgling 'Rainbow Nation'.
South Africa's clash with the All Blacks in the final forms the movie's climax, with the South African tactics centred around stopping the tournament's dominant figure, Lomu.
Zak featured in several MSP Jubilee Cup-winning sides in the 1990s before heading overseas to play professionally in Scotland. The late Ivan Vodanovich selected him as No 8 in the MSP all-star team picked to celebrate the club's first 25 years.

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