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U85kg National Club Cup Quarter-Final wrap up

23 August 2022

The U85kg National Club Cup quarter-finals threw up three climactic finishes on the weekend, with the fourth and final one touted to be just as tense later in the week.

Home field advantage was worth its weight in gold at the business end of the knockout cup, with home teams the College Rifles Bombers (Auckland), the Karaka Razzlers (Counties-Manukau) and the Southern Bush Pigs (Otago), all getting up in close encounters.

In Remuera, College Rifles Bombers jumped out the gates quickly with an early try against the Hamilton Marist Bulldogs before both teams got in there, with the Bombers holding a 12-7 halftime lead.

The third quarter was the telling moment of the game, with the College Rifles gaining ascendancy through a strong forward back and hot defensive line speed to push the margin out to 26-7 down the home straight.

The Bulldogs stormed back, scoring twice in the last 10 minutes to give themselves a late chance to steal the treats but they ran out of time, losing 26-19 to the home side.

“Hamilton Marist were a pretty good team, very well structured and had a few key players. When we neutralised them that’s when we got on the front foot,” said College Rifles coach Ewan Milnes.

“I think the boys got a bit comfortable with the score line and let the foot off the throat. We won’t be able to do that in closer games and that was a talking point for us.”

While not going all the way, Hamilton Marist ended their season with by far their best effort in the knockout cup, having not won a game the past two years, not to mention a strong club season, after making their first Waikato U85kg final since 2015.

The Karaka Razzlers were given their toughest test of the national knockout campaign, beating the travelling Upper Hutt Rams (Wellington) 23-21 at Karaka Rugby Club.

Karaka held a 20-14 at the turn but the Upper Hutt threat remained right to the final whistle, with a crucial penalty from an injury-time ruck turnover sealing the deal to guarantee Karaka’s first semi-final appearance.

Karaka’s next match will see them face to face with the defending Club Cup champions, the Southern Bush Pigs, who continue their run to the final after seeing off a valiant Old Boys University Scallywags (Wellington) 34-27 at Dunedin’s Bathgate ParkThe Scallywags led the Bush Pigs early, but the Pigs slowly turned the screws to take the lead in the second quarter and never looked back.

Holding a 19-10 halftime lead, the Southern champions held on for the win although Old Boys University kept within striking distance for most of the match.

The last quarter-final between respective North Harbour and Auckland club champions, the Takapuna Bombers and Auckland University Debt Collectors, is set to be played on Wednesday night, with the winner to face the College Rifles Bombers in this weekend’s semi-finals.