Marlborough 20 – 29 Launceston
It was a beautiful day for running rugby last Saturday with the pitch still a little “tacky” from rain earlier in the week but a blue sky and the customary Marlborough breeze. The final score in the 1st XV match left a sour taste for reasons Dave sets out in his match report. Notwithstanding the 1st XV and 2nd XV both losing we finish 2025 in a position where the “only way is up”. Much thinking to be done over the break and some decisive decisions to be made.
Match Report:
Marlborough started badly allowing Launceston to score after only 5 minutes with some extremely weak defending. Converted. The early try didn’t seem to inject too much urgency into Marlborough. On 15 minutes Launceston scored again started by a 15-metre driving maul from the halfway line then several Marlborough missed tackles for Launceston to score. Unconverted.
Marlborough did now start to fight back. Helped by a dominant scrum. Uraia Uluvesi did manage to score touching down as Marlborough pushed over a scrum from 5 metres. Unconverted.
The next score was a Launceston penalty. The next Launceston try came on 35 minutes and followed a poor goal line drop out by Marlborough straight to the Launceston full back who ran the ball back setting up an attack for Launceston to run in a try in the corner helped by some woeful Marlborough defending. Unconverted. Marlborough struck back just before halftime with a try from Simon Pilkington who had come off the bench and injected some much-needed urgency into Marlborough. Converted.
Half-time – Marlborough 12 – 20 Launceston
Marlborough started the 2nd half very well with a 2nd try from Simon Pilkington starting from a line out maul. Unconverted. Simon was now starting to have a very positive influence on the game.
Now the controversy began. Young Marlborough hooker Jacob Te Rangi took an horrendous high shot to the head suffering neck damage and concussion resulting in a yellow card for the offender. At the time of writing Jacob is still in hospital (see update below). Marlborough were still on the front foot when Uraia Uluvesi received a red card. Having been punched when on the ground he retaliated with an open-handed push to the face. Result: Yellow card for Launceston/Red Card for Marlborough.
The rest of the match was now summed up by Marlborough converting one penalty from Roko Waicolayawa and Launceston converting three penalties.
Final Score – Marlborough 20 – 29 Launceston
This was a very winnable match for Marlborough that got away from them following some strange decisions. Man of the Match was Nichaiah Boynton whose scrummaging and ball carrying was exemplary. Nic is very young but is now starting to show great potential and plays loose or tight head and now proving to be a great asset to Marlborough. Simon Pilkington made a massive impact when he came onto the pitch and until his controversial red card Uraia Uluvesi was becoming a handful. We wish young Jacob Te Rangi a speedy recovery.”
Crowds greet Devizes Young Farmers’ Tractor ‘n Tinsel charity run in Marlborough High Street
