20/06/2026
Hepa Paewai Cup
A great tussle ensued between two good sides. All season Tamatea has shown glimpses of brilliance coupled with lapses in discipline, that pattern continued today.
In front of a very good crowd on a mild day to celebrate Clive's Club Day, these two teams put everything on the line and the result wasn't clear until referee Mike Kupa blew the final whistle to signal the end of the game.
Clive started the scoring with a penalty just on the 10-minute mark, 3-0, but Tamatea bounced back with a perfect cross-kick by Ash Robinson=Bartlett which ended with a well taken try to Noah Edmonds who won the contest in the air to score close to the uprights. Conversion successful 7-3.
Lapses in discipline resulted in a red card to a Tamatea player who was involved in a heavy close contact collision with the Clive centre, the referee deemed the tackle dangerous and Tamatea were down to 14 men with 60 minutes to play.
However, this 2026 Tamatea team has demonstrated a strength of character all season and today was to be no exception. Tamatea went on to score two more tries while Clive scored two converted tries and a penalty. Rakai Karaitiana was rewarded with two tries for his best game of the season, while Dayton Birch and Ethan Smith provided much needed impact coming of the bench. In the backs, Ash Robinson=Bartlett steered the team well with his experience crucial on defence and attack, Petera Kahui was strong again in the centres and Art Thompson-Cashmore impressed again from the back carrying a leg injury picked up early in the first half.
A great win 23-17.
Final game of round robin next week with Tamatea hosting Aotea at Bill Matthewson Park.
The Observer
Video courtesy TTT Media M
