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Tawa Titans looking forward to U85kg second round competition

Paul Potiki U85kg Div1 | 15 June 2015 | Steven White

Above: The Tawa Titans on Saturday after winning the first round U85kg Restricted Division 1 JC Bowl. Photo credit: Stewart Baird

They’ve just won the first round Wellington club rugby U85kg Restricted Division 1 JC Bowl with an unbeaten season so far, now the Tawa Titans are looking forward to wiping the slate clean and trying to win the Paul Potiki Shield Division 1 U85kg championship.

The Paul Potiki Shield starts this coming weekend, with the Tawa Titans squaring off against first round Division 2 winners Johnsonville at home at Redwood Park.

Titans captain David Tye said winning the first round was a mixture of pride and relief for the team.

“The core of our team has been together now for around seven years and for some of us it's been 15 seasons, so to finally win the JC Bowl for the first time was pretty special,” he said.

Tye said the celebrations on Saturday were kept in check, with the lure of the bigger prize keeping the Titans focused.

“The boys celebrated with a few beers down at the club but there was nothing over the top, we know the job is only half done as the Paul Potiki Shield is still up for grabs in the second round. If we can manage to finally win that for the first time then I think the real celebrations will begin, and may go on all summer.

“Winning the Paul Potiki Shield is something that no Tawa 85s team has achieved, and having been agonisingly close the last few seasons only to fall at the last hurdle to a very good MSP Blues side has just made us more determined to finish the job.”

The Tawa Titans won all their games in the first round, with an average score of 34-7. They wrapped up the title with a round to spare and were presented with the JC Bowl after their match at Redwood Park against Eastbourne on Saturday, which they won 59-7.

The Titans’ top try scorer so far this season is fullback Dan Kubiack with 11 tries in eight matches, while Joe Denyer has been slotting goals over from everywhere.

Tye said that teamwork is the team’s strength. “We have been together as a team for a number of seasons and whilst we aren't the best trainers and like to keep things pretty social, everyone turns up with the right attitude on a Saturday and no one wants to let their mates down.”

He singled out the matches against the Poneke Cavs (won 17-0) and the Avalon Wolves (won 32-10) as two of the tougher matches from the first round, in the absence of last year’s champions the MSP Blues who were down on numbers and withdrew their team at the start of this season.

“The Poneke game was a key one for us, a few boys who have played a couple of seasons with us have returned to Poneke this year and we knew they were going to be strong as usual. It was also the first time this season we were able to field a near full strength team so we knew that was going to give us a good measure of how our team was coming together.

“Avalon out at Fraser park in the penultimate week was also a top of the table clash and the first round decider so we knew they were going to throw everything at us and if we let them get on top with their supporters behind them they were going to be hard to beat. When they scored first and had all the momentum for the first 20 minutes to see how the boys kept their heads up and responded was really pleasing.”

What’s it going to take the win the second round title and who are the biggest threats?

“Staying injury free is probably the key for all teams, but also improving from the first round and not becoming complacent as we know all of the other teams will have improved, they always do.

“Poneke are the obvious threats but the likes of Old Boys University, Wellington and Marist St Pat’s are always strong and with Avalon emerging as another contender this year it really is the most open the grade has been in years. We know all too well that it comes down to those final two games of the season and anything can happen on the day so we don't take anyone lightly!”

On behalf of the Titans, Tye thanked the Tawa club and the team’s supporters.

“Every week without fail our sidelines are full with family and friends and over the years it has become a bit of a Saturday ritual to come down and watch the Titans play and I know it is the main reason so many of the boys have continued to play all these years.

“Whilst every team wants to be competitive on the field and get the win, and you wouldn't expect anything less, like any grade this competitiveness sometimes results in a bit of niggle (and the referees do a great job), but win or lose the spirit of the 85s grade has always been about playing hard but then shaking hands and leaving everything on the field and enjoying a beer with the opposition afterwards.

“It's a spirit that may have been slightly lost over the last couple of years but one that is noticeably back this year which is a credit to all of the teams involved and one we hope to contribute towards seeing continue. In the constant words of our flying fullback DK, ‘Stay humble boys’.”

As well as the Tawa Titans, Johnsonville were first round lightweight winners, winning the Division 2 Phillip Wiggins Trophy with a record of six wins and one loss.

Meanwhile, the Centurions are looking to again select an U85kg team in September subject to the New Zealand Barbarians club running their tournament with Auckland, North Harbour, Waikato and Thames Valley.