The under 8 Warriors are a team has combined players from a number of different teams last year and at least 1 player that has never played before. Through grading rounds the team has been unbeaten and won all their games by large margins. On June 10 the boys played their first game in A grade with a comfortable win using home field advantage, but June 17 saw them take on their first away game of the competition round against Ponsonby at Western Springs.

The rain from the previous day subsided and the day dawned clear, but conditions underfoot would prove to be tricky with a muddy ground and several large puddles on the field. It looked like the game would be a tight, low scoring affair.

Straight from the kick off Ponsonby proved they would be a difficult team, holding the ball for multiple phases and scoring the opening try. The quick response came from Harry Davies with an individual effort to tie the scores. The teams traded tries and with 13 minutes gone, the scores were locked at 15 all. This was by far the closest game of the season but the Warriors responded with a decisive end to the first half which saw 3 quick tries in the last 4 minutes of the half to Cooper Bull and a brace to Ofisa which gave the Warriors a comfortable but by no means decisive lead going into the break.

The oranges and half time team talk from coach Dan Tye clearly did wonders as the second half saw a wall of Pakuranga defence restrict the plucky Ponsonby team to only 1 try in the second 25 minutes. Strong tackling from all the boys was lead by Marlon Mccartney, Conor Winstanley and Logan WaklinMcDonald which saw the opposition attacks repelled time after time which eventually lead to turnovers that would be turned into points. Special mention to Conor for a tackle so hard it knocked out one of his baby teeth!

Harley Tye started the scoring in the second half, which was followed up by a second half hatrick to Harry Davies, double to James Foy and a superb runaway solo effort by Teddy Kneebone.

The final result, an excellent 65-20 win to the Pakuranga Warriors and a big cleaning bill for the parents!. A great win to the boys against a strong opposition. Thanks also go to the parents and supporters who made the trek to cheer the team on.

The well deserved player of the day award went to Marlon Mccartney for his tireless defensive work and hard running in the tight exchanges.

Through a quirk of the draw the team now has 5 games in row at Pakuranga including grudge matches against the other 2 Pakuranga teams. Come along and see some class under 8 rugby being played

Article added: Tuesday 20 June 2023