All Blacks coach Ian Foster, wife Leigh and daughter Michaela watching the action sideline between Hautapu and Hamilton Old Boys at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The presence of All Blacks coach Ian Foster at the Hautapu-Hamilton Old Boys premiership match at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday might have added some extra spice to the game but he was there to see one player.
All Black and Hamilton Old Boys lock Josh Lord, right, claims the lineout from Scottish lock Hamilton Burr during Hautapu’s 41-5 win over Hamilton Old Boys at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Versatile lock Josh Lord was a shock selection for the All Blacks when the team was named at Te Awamutu Sports the previous week given his year-long bout with injury and more recent concussion.
Unavailable for the Chiefs-Crusaders final, Lord, who plays for Taranaki in the national championship, was instead given game time for Hamilton Old Boys, hence Foster’s presence.
Hautapu beat Old Boys 41-5 with the Owhango-raised Lord visibly flagging as he tackled anything that moved for 80 minutes and buried himself at the bottom of a few rucks and mauls.
Foster was impressed with the Hautapu performance, telling The News, as he held his grandson, that hooker Nicolas Jeffcoat had a great game.
Other members of Foster’s family, including wife Leigh and Football Ferns daughter Michaela, wearing her Wellington Phoenix gear, also experienced true grassroots rugby sitting on a hard bench in front of the grandstand.
Waipā teams Hautapu Sports and Leamington hold top spots in Waikato Rugby Union’s Premier Premiership, Division One’s Mooloo Shield and Division One B.
Te Awamutu Sports is second behind Hautapu in the premiership having lost to them 17-12 last month.
Hautapu has sewn up top spot and plays third-placed Hamilton Marist in the last game of the series on Saturday while Te Awamutu has the bye.
Meanwhile, Hautapu Colts beat University 31-5 at Memorial Park after the game was transferred from water-logged Hamilton. They remain third on the table.
The Hautapu B side languish in last place in the Premier B premiership following a 63-5 thumping to Old Boys, also at Memorial Park.
Results – Colts (round robin): Hautapu 31 University 5, Morrinsville 45 Leamington 34, Te Awamutu 24 Hamilton BHS 51.
Under 85kg: Leamington 14 Fraser Tech 19.
Division 1 (Mooloo Shield): Leamington 17 Southern United 15, Pirongia bye.
Division 1 B: Leamington 35 Southern United 31.
Premier (Premiership): Te Awamutu 33 Hamilton Marist 31, Hautapu 41 Hamilton Old Boys 5.
Premier B (Premiership): Te Awamutu 19 Hamilton Marist 27, Hautapu 5 Hamilton Old Boys 63
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- Hautapu halfback Rui Farrant breaks away from a defensive scrum during his team’s 41-5 victory over Hamilton Old Boys at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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- Hautapu halfback Rui Farrant prepares to feed the scrum. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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- All Blacks coach Ian Foster among the crowd in true grassroots style during the Hautapu versus Hamilton Old Boys match at Memorial Park in Hautapu on Saturday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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- Josh Lord goes down in the tackle. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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- Josh Lord with the ball in play. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
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- Hautapu Colts players upend a Varsity player during their 31-5 win at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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- Xavier Nisbet wins lineout possession during an Under-14 rugby derby on Saturday. Boasting rights went the way of his Cambridge High team which dominated the second half against Te Awamutu College to run out 41-24 winners. The college side fought back with a late first half try to turn 19-17 down, and led soon after thanks to an early second half try. But Cambridge piled on 22 points in response.
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- All hands on deck – Dallas Paul-Sykes, centre, attempts to be first to a loose ball at Cambridge on Saturday. Under-14 rugby boasting rights went the way of Cambridge High in this Waipā derby match. Cambridge dominated the second half to run out 41-24 winners in an entertaining clash. The college side fought back with a late first half try to turn 19-17 down, and led soon after thanks to an early second half try. But Cambridge piled on 22 points in response.
