MATCH REPORTS 2024
2024 Ladies' Day takes place at Ōhaupō
Saturday, April 20, 2024
By Jesse Wood - Waikato Herald/NZME
The Ōhaupō Rugby Sports Club senior teams hosted their first home games of Waikato Club Rugby 2024 Division 1 and 1B with tough matches against the men from under the northern maunga, Taupiri Rugby Football Club.
With 48 locals attending the Ladies' Day, the players looked to back up the celebration of the women and all they do for the club, but it wasn't to be.
In the early match, Ōhaupō B and Taupiri B were caught in a stalemate as they held each other tryless. The visitors escaped with a 12-3 win.
The first half was back and forth, finishing 6-3 in favour of Taupiri B courtesy of two penalty goals to their impressive kicker and one for Ōhaupō B No. 10 Reece Elsmore.
The next half was much of the same with the Taupiri B first five-eighth doubling his tally to make it four penalties to one in muddy conditions.
Elsmore was awarded man of the match for his squad.
After leading for much of the game, the Ōhaupō A team fell short 24-20 against their Taupiri Division 1 counterparts.
Taupiri second five-eighth Jared Howells secured an intercept try, essentially running away with the game in the dying minutes.
Bronson Wilson-Beech, Roy Huggard and Reed Watson grabbed tries in an all backline scoring match for Ōhaupō.
Watson also helped himself to a conversion and a penalty off the tee.
Ōhaupō loose forward Trent Sargent was everywhere, running at the defence all day, while Taupiri flanker Connor Joyce made a pest of himself wherever possible.
Fullback Lucas Corney was named man of the match for the home team.
Saturday sees a week four bye for Ōhaupō as they prepare for another home game the following weekend against Putāruru.
Results:
Ōhaupō B 3 (Penalties: Reece Elsmore)
Taupiri B 12
HT: 3-6
Ōhaupō 20 (Tries: Bronson Wilson-Beech, Roy Huggard, Reed Watson. Conversions: Watson. Penalties: Watson)
Taupiri 24
Ōhaupō score half century in Frankton
Saturday, April 13, 2024
By Jesse Wood - Waikato Herald/NZME
Saturday saw comprehensive victories for the Ōhaupō Rugby Sports Club senior teams over their Frankton counterparts at Swarbrick Park in week two of Waikato Club Rugby Division 1 and 1B.
The Ōhaupō B team took the win 24-15 over Frankton B, while Ōhaupō won 50-0 over the hosts on a wet, muddy day.
Frankton B scored two tries to be up 10-0 in the early match before the visitors woke up.
A rolling maul penalty saw Ōhaupō B rewarded with a penalty try, an automatic seven points. From there they kicked into gear.
Frankton B added a further try before the half closed out at 15-7 in their favour.
The second half saw the floodgates open and the home side couldn't add to their tally.
Captain Bradley Parrott, Reece Elsmore and Lance Elrick all grabbed tries with Elsmore also adding a conversion.
Jonty Kite was awarded man of the match for his outstanding efforts from halfback and then on the wing.
The Ōhaupō A team used the wet weather to their advantage, hauling eight tries over the chalk.
Up 19-0 at the break, the visitors scored through prop Liam Palaone, winger Roy Huggard and rangy blindside flanker Chris Ferguson.
Reed Watson added a first half conversion.
In the second stanza, Ōhaupō were still in control scoring through Baylee Davies, Trent Sargent, Jack Jordan, Lucas Corney and Watson, who grabbed a few more conversions.
The midfield combo of Bronson Wilson-Beech and man of the match Watson was outstanding, tearing the defence open.
The front-row trio of Palaone, Jade Walker and Nadan were strong while loose forwards Ferguson, Ben Parrott and Sargent ran through defenders all day.
This weekend sees Ōhaupō play their first official home games of the season, taking on Taupiri at Ōhaupō Memorial Park.
Week one brings learning curves for Ōhaupō
Saturday, April 6, 2024
By Jesse Wood - Waikato Herald/NZME
Saturday was a tough day at the office for the Ōhaupō Rugby Sports Club senior sides as they faced Leamington in week one of Waikato Club Rugby.
In the Senior B match, defending Division 1B champions Leamington B took the win 43-17 in front of a home crowd.
Up 36-0 at halftime, a change in personnel and attitude for Ohaupo brought them back into the game winning the half 17-7.
Centre and former Cambridge High School rep Gabe Ghersi was first to cross the line for the visitors with evergreen Michael Monahan adding the conversion.
It seemed to be all Cambridge High School alumnus crossing the chalk for Ōhaupō in Leamington as the next scorer was Jonty Kite, crossing over in the lefthand corner.
Reserve No. 8, 2008 North Harbour 2nd XV representative Simon Fincham brought power with him as he slotted into the back of the scrum.
Fincham came off the back, fending several defenders before getting the pass away to flyer Ryan Kelly.
Kelly beat several defenders winning the foot race to dot down for the final try of the match.
Although the scoreline read 43-17 in Leamington B's favour, it was a classic game of two halves.
The Division 1 match then became the talking point at Leamington Rugby Sports Club.
Leamington looked fit as ever and headed into the break 14-0 up.
Points continued to flow but Ōhaupō finally got the score near the posts to No. 8 Trent Sargent.
Scott Thomas added the conversion before two further Leamington tries and a conversion was added to the tally.
Ahead 43-7, the blue and white hoops looked certain to score again as they closed in on the Ōhaupō line.
Out of nowhere, Ōhaupō reserve Adam Kelly scooped up the ball and broke away 65 metres downfield before he was cut down. A great impression on his Senior A debut.
Eventually, this phase of play led to an overlap in the left corner where fellow debutant Jack Jordan crossed for a try.
With a further Leamington try and conversion the scores finished at 50-12 in favour of the home side.
This week the Ōhaupō teams head into Hamilton to face Frankton.
Ōhaupō thump Frankton 43-0 in pre-season rugby clash
Thursday, March 28, 2024
By Jesse Wood - Waikato Herald/NZME
The Ōhaupō Rugby Sports Club senior squad drubbed Frankton Rugby Sports Club 43-0 last Thursday night at Ōhaupō Memorial Park in their second pre-season game of 2024.
Winger Caleb Kennedy grabbed a hat-trick of tries including a Dallin Watene-Zelezniak-like acrobatic try in the corner.
He was the first to cross the chalk after a crosskick from first five-eighth Reed Watson put him away.
As they did against Pāpāmoa the previous Saturday, Ōhaupō seemed to score from all over the park.
The other winger Roy Huggard weaved right up the centre of the field leaving defenders in his wake.
This movement set lock Ben Parrott up for a try after a few passes out wide.
Lucas Corney and Lance Elrick also grabbed tries for the home side, while Bronson Wilson-Beech slotted between several defenders to score the final try under the sticks.
Watson added four conversions to the tally.
“The boys stood up defensively throughout the game and we were rewarded with a clean sheet, which is a great confidence booster heading into Leamington,” Ōhaupō assistant coach Connor Larsen-Cross said.
“We took a while to get into the game with our attack but once we identified where the space was, the boys found their form and hit their stride. Looking forward to the season ahead.”
A successful pre-season campaign saw Ōhaupō score 91 points in their two games, only conceding seven points.
This week both the senior A and B teams will head to Leamington for round one of Waikato Club Rugby Division 1 and 1B.
The Senior B kicks off at 1pm followed by the A teams at 2.45pm.
Ōhaupō 43 (Tries: Caleb Kennedy 3, Lucas Corney, Ben Parrott, Lance Elrick, Bronson Wilson-Beech. Conversions: Reed Watson 4)
Frankton 0
Ōhaupō trounce Pāpāmoa in pre-season home match
Saturday, March 23, 2024
By Jesse Wood - Waikato Herald/NZME
The Ōhaupō Rugby Sports Club senior players got their 2024 pre-season campaign under way on Saturday with a clinical first-half demolition of Pāpāmoa Rugby Club at a wet Ōhaupō Memorial Park.
After journeying over the Kaimai Range, the visiting Bay of Plenty club saw themselves head down another slope, behind 43-0 at halftime.
Both the Ōhaupō recruits and longtime players showcased their fitness and ability, scoring tries from near, far and wide.
Ōhaupō outside backs Caleb Kennedy and Queyst Michael-Tapu each grabbed a first-half brace, with further tries added by Reed Watson, Ethan Refoy and Lance Elrick.
No 12 Watson converted three of the tries, with replacement first five-eighth Tom Keeling also adding two points.
The second half brought just 12 points as the floodgates closed.
Pāpāmoa were first to score and converted their try before veteran Elrick crossed the chalk again to close off the scoring for Ōhaupō and the match.
The home side left the field victorious 48-7.
“I thought the boys played awesome in the first half, executed the attacking game plan we had been working on in training and adapted to the wet weather well,” Ōhaupō assistant coach Connor Larsen-Cross said.
“The second half gave us lots of ideas of what we can work on in the next couple of weeks leading into the season, but overall very happy with the game and the boys’ efforts, and thought it was an ideal way to kick off footy season again.”
The new-arrival five-eighth combo of Logan Lemon (Christchurch) and Watson (Tauranga) led their side around the park, with Watson showcasing his kicking skill off the tee.
Other first-time reps Tye Chase, Keeling, Adam Kelly, Malachi Pehi, Max Robertson and Daniel Nadan showed what they can bring to the table.
Nadan, a former Melville prop, crumpled player after player as they got in his way.
Scott Thomas was solid at halfback, as were the loose trio of Hayden Thomas, Robertson and former King Country B rep Trent Sargent.
Captain Jade Walker led from the front while Ben Parrott, in the unfamiliar position of lock, put his body on the line wherever he could.
The outside backs constantly threatened their opposition.
Ōhaupō host their second pre-season match tonight (Thursday) at Ōhaupō Memorial Park against locals Frankton Rugby Sports Club. Kick-off is 6.45pm.
After some well-earned rest over Easter, both the Senior A and B sides will head down the road on April 6 for Waikato Club Rugby Division 1 and 1B round one against rivals Leamington Rugby Sports Club.
Once again in 2024, the B side will follow the A team’s calendar.
Senior B matches kick-off at 1pm followed by the Senior A teams at 2.45pm.
Ōhaupō Points:
Tries: Caleb Kennedy 2, Queyst Michael-Tapu 2, Lance Elrick 2, Reed Watson, Ethan Refoy.
Conversions: Reed Watson 3, Tom Keeling.
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