Kia ora ,

After our first game of the season against Petone, the odds of us leading the Swindale Shield comp five weeks later would have been very attractive.

Well, here we are. Five rounds later, with every match seemingly going to to the last play, we are leading the comp by one point from Petone.

Saturday against HOBM was no different to earlier matches. HOBM got off to a fast start, not helped by some lacklustre defense, and at one stage led 27 - 7 before falling foul of the ref and getting into sin bin trouble. Tawa roared back into the match and turned down 27 - 19 at half time and having the benefit of a strengthening breeze in the second half.

Tawa dominated the ball and territory in the second half and although there did appear to be some aimless chip kicking early on, when we kept it simple, we looked unstoppable and at one stage led 36 - 27. It was then Tawa’s turn to get offside with the ref and play the last 15 mins with 14 and sometimes 13 men!

HOBM scored to close the gap to 36 - 34 and with time up were camped on Tawa’s goaline. A situation players (and supporters) seem to have come accustomed to, and like recent games, held on to take the points and championship lead.

In other games, the Premier 2s lost 36 - 29 which was very similar to the Premier match, but it was Tawa that came roaring back into the match when well-down going into the last quarter. The Colts, also playing HOBM, were outplayed in the first half and turned down 38 - nil but showed good character in the second half to lose 55 - 19. The Ducks just keep on winning, beating Paremata-Plimmerton away 36 - 5 and sitting five points behind Pōneke with a game in hand. The Reserves had their second win of the season with an excellent 41 - 22 result against Stokes Valley.

We play traditional rivals Johnsonville at the home of rugby Lyndhurst Park next Saturday to celebrate Old Timers Day. Who can forget last year's semi-final encounter when super boot James So'oialo kicked a last-minute drop goal to take us to the big dance with a 27 - 24 win.

If recent performance is any indicator, we are probably in for a similar encounter!

The juniors will be running a sausage sizzle and raffles, and there will be a junior showcase before the senior games begin. 

The clubrooms will be opened from 12.30pm onwards. We encourage old timers to come early to the pre-match and have a beer or cuppa with their mates. I hear `Rip Shit’ aka John Russell will be making an appearance!

A highlight will be a fireside chat with Tawa legend and former Tawa, Lions, Hurricanes, and Northampton Saints, NZ U20 (the list goes on!!) coach Chris ‘Floyd’ Boyd, who is still heavily involved in the professional game in the northern hemisphere. He is going to give his view on the game, the challenges it faces, and the highlights of his time playing and coaching at Tawa. It will be informal - good natured heckling will be encouraged, but if you know Floyd, be prepared to get as much as you give. Will Caccia-Birch will be MCing and I will say a quick welcome before the chat begins. Welcome is at 1.15pm and the fireside chat will kick off at 1.20pm. It should be entertaining.

The junior club has unprecedented numbers this year, with the last count close to 300 registered players supported by 35 coaches and managers and 120 volunteer supporter parents. This is outstanding and takes a tremendous amount of organisation, so a big thanks to the junior club organisatinal committee and the coaches and managers that support the teams. By all accounts there were close to 80 kids at last Sunday afternoon's nursery grade session, supported by over 120 parents on the sideline!

The club have done their best to cater for late registrations, but as the teams are now formed and the season started, the club can no longer accept any further late registrations.

A reminder to park responsibly this Saturday around the club. The parking area behind the Senior Clubrooms is just for committee members, coaches, and management.

Please ensure that you are parking in the clearly marked parking spaces, and do not block driveways, park on yellow lines, or park up on the footpath or berms. We want to maintain a good relationship with our neighbours on the streets surrounding the club.

See you all this Saturday at Old Timers Day. 

Steve Rogers

President

JUNIOR SPOTLIGHT - Nippers Grade Season Kick-Off!

What a fantastic way to kick off the season for our Nippers grade! The sun was out as we welcomed our next generation of Tawa club members on a day filled with smiles and excitement. 
 

This year we have had an incredible turnout, with 65 enthusiastic kids aged 2 - 6 years old, all excited to dive into their first session of Nippers rugby. It was especially nice to see so many whānau supporting their young athletes, making the day even more memorable. Coincidentally, it was also Mother’s Day, allowing many mums to witness the pure joy on their children’s faces as they experienced rugby for the very first time.

We are thrilled to announce that the Nippers grade continues to grow in popularity, with over 80 children registered in just its second season! The kids looked amazing in their cool t-shirts, expertly crafted by some of our talented committee members, showcasing our club spirit.
 

A huge thank you to our dedicated coaches Kalim, Sene, David, Joel, and LJ for their passion and commitment to nurturing these young players. Your efforts in creating a fun and engaging environment are truly appreciated.
 

Lastly, a big shoutout to our committee for their outstanding work in preparing for what promises to be an exciting season for our littlest generation of rugby players. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead in the Nippers grade!