Waitete retained the JR Shield following their 76-7 win against Piopio at the Rukuhia Domain on Saturday. Photo: Dan Tasker
The JR Shield will stay locked away at Blue HQ after a feverish Waitete rolled, bowled and rissoled a fresh-faced Piopio 76-7 at the Rukuhia Domain on Saturday.
In Waitete’s performance of the season so far and their biggest win over their North King Country rivals in recent memory, the blue bellies out-played and out-energised a Piopio team with few answers.
Young 19-year-old winger Ivan Reid’s hat-trick topped the try-scoring count in the 12-try blitz, with Piopio captain Jackson Hurley’s 48th-minute touchdown the green-and-golds’ only respite on a balmy mid-Autumn afternoon.
Trailing 43-0 at the break, Piopio slightly stemmed the flow, but stoic efforts from the likes of straight-running Hurley in his 50th game for the club and lock Isaac Griffin were not enough in a tough day at the office.
Piopio will be better for the experience as coach Jeff Davis continues to rebuild the playing stocks, most notably through the likes of Hunters Rogers, Piripi James, Keanu Edkins and Corey Mason, who are all in their rookie senior season after joining from last year’s Piopio College’s championship-winning U16 team.
Leading the charge for Waitete was loose forward Isaac Wana, the former Bush United man’s work-rate and effort turning plenty of heads alongside Kees Muller, Finn Hahn and wily veteran Shaun Burr.
The game also marked the surprise return of flanker Rico Bell off the Waitete bench – last year’s King Country Rams’ most promising player has opted to return home after originally starting the season at Ōtorohanga.
In his 60th game for Waitete, lock-turned-prop Sam Wilson also celebrated his blazer to go with the JR Shield’s return to Waitete Rd.
The win sees Waitete sitting in third (20) just off the pace but still in touch with unbeaten King Country premier club leaders Taumarunui Districts (24) and Taupō Marist (23) after five rounds.
Piopio drop out of the top four to fifth (10) behind Taumarunui Eels (14), but still ahead of Taupō Sports (7) and Waitomo (0).
It provides the perfect lead-in for Waitete ahead of their Hetet Shield match against a weakened Taupō Marist this Saturday, who remain without key personnel like injured halfback Kristian Standen and suspended midfielder Josevata Malimoce.
Even so, the James White-coached Marist continue on their merry way after beating Waitomo at the caves on Saturday, and they will back themselves to get the job done on their home track of Owen Delany Park this week.
It doesn’t get any easier for Piopio, who host competition front-runners Districts at the Rukuhia Domain on Saturday, following the 2024 champions’ 49-19 win against Taupō Sports in Taupo last weekend.
Eels will be confident of retaining their place in the top four as they take on Waitomo at Cherry Grove to round out week six, with Taupō Sports on the bye.
Waitete retained the JR Shield following their 76-7 win against Piopio at the Rukuhia Domain on Saturday. Photo: Dan Tasker
