Coach praises Ngongotaha power

Greg Taipari | 29th June 2010

Maintaining the intensity and attacking the right areas were key to Ngongotaha's victory over Pikiao, according to the winning coach.

Ngongotaha overcame a slow start to grind out a convincing win 34-10 in round 16 of the Tri Region's premier competition at Rotorua's Puketawhero Park on Saturday.

Ngongotaha now take over second place from Pikiao on the points table and coach Ralph Filipo said he was happy with his team's effort.

"I told them to maintain their intensity and attack the right areas ... I'm very happy. It's always good to get some games under your belt. We haven't had a lot of game time over the last few weeks, but everyone played for each other and they played as a team."

Pikiao were looking confident, going into the game with an eight-match winning streak and scoring a try within minutes of kick-off.

Taking the ball from the kick-off the Pikiao forwards worked it up the righthand side of the field to give their backs some space on the left, which saw their wing Shamos Hunter scoring out wide although the try went unconverted.

The first 10 minutes of the game was all Pikiao, with their forwards making good ground up the middle and from quick plays.

However, silly handling errors let them down with the line beckoning and the team went scoreless for the rest of the half.

 When Pikiao captain Jason Kameta went off with an injury the team appeared to lose their structure.

Ngongotaha, who had a bye last week, started finding some rhythm, their big forwards getting some good go-forward and with their halves going to the air near the end of their sets, they trapped their opponents in their own goal, giving Ngongotaha regular back-to-back sets.

The overwhelming pressure took its toll on Pikiao and they started to drop off tackles.

Another searching kick by Ngongotaha scrum half Scotty Thompson found his right wing, Eroni Seabouma, who touched down for the team's first of four tries in the first half.

Thompson scored two first half tries but was successful with just two conversion attempts.

Ngongotaha went into the break up 20-4 and started the second half where they left off with big prop Darryl Perenara rewarded for his hard yards with a try in the first two minutes of the spell.

Pikiao had a small chance to turn the game while attacking Ngongotaha's line, when Morgan King was sinbinned for a dangerous tackle. But with no one really stepping up to take the lead and Ngongotaha pouring on the defence, Pikiao couldn't get any back-to-back sets and eventually Ngongotaha scored at the other end of the field.

Pikiao would eventually score a converted try but it was too little too late.

Ngongotaha captain Raymond Luke put the win down to the team believing in each other.

"For the last few weeks we had been playing below par but today the call was mana. Whenever we felt tired we would call it out and it would lift us."

Pikiao head coach Selwyn Rikiti said it was a huge learning curve for some of his young players.

"We had an injury to our captain and the team lacked a bit of leadership from then on ... It is a good wake-up call for the team but we have to put this behind us and move on," Rikiti said.

Scores -

Premier: Ngongotaha 34 (Jason Puddles 2, Scotty Thompson 2, Joe Nuku, Darryl Perenara tries; Scotty Thompson 2, Raymond Luke goals)

Pikiao 10 (Shamos Hunter, Joe Galvin-Davison tries; Jermaine Maungatutia goals)

Reserves: Ngongotaha 34

Pikiao 10

 Premiers: Otumoetai WIN Whakatane DF, Ngongotaha 34 Pikiao 10, Pacific 46 Turangi 26, Paikea 68 Tauranga/Whalers 10, Central 32 Forestland 26.

Reserves: Otumoetai 44 Mangakino 4, Ngongotaha 34 Pikiao 10, Pacific 36 Taupo 16, Paikea WIN Tauranga/Whalers DF, Central 34 Forestland 30.