By Ryan Yelavich
With our Colts team playing in the Waikato Under 21 Final this Saturday at Marist, we thought now was the perfect time to highlight the last few Hautapu sides to contest the Waikato Under 21 finals.
Make sure to check out the team photos below. While the results didn’t go to plan for these teams, we wanted to showcase their efforts.
In 2008, our Under 21s side, coached by now-current Club President Dave Simes and Adam Poka, had a young side with many talented players captained by Nick Feast.
Interestingly, as well, current Colts back coach Tom Casey was the standout number 10 for the team that helped give the backline direction and steer them around the park.
At the end of the season, they finished with a points-for of 394 and points-against of 84.
They managed to notch up 12 wins in the round-robin. The boys qualified for a semi-final but, unfortunately, fell short before the final.
In 2009, Dave Simes and Adam Poka returned to coach the team, and with most of the squad coming back for a second crack at the championship, the boys carried on where they left off going through the whole season undefeated and dominating securing a home final date with Taupiri.
Unfortunately, on the day, the boys fell short in a low-scoring, close contest.
When speaking with then coach Dave Simes in 2022 he said: “We had an excellent team. well led by Nick Feast. Many outstanding players went on to feature strongly in the in the club’s Premier A & B sides in years following.”
In 2010, many players returned for another run at the championship.
With many players now in their third season of Colts rugby, Dave Simes and Adam Poka moved to other coaching roles with the club and Fozz Herewini and Kerry Bayliss stepped up to take the reins.
Once again, just like in 2009, the boys ran through everyone they came up against and finished the round-robin undefeated for the second year in a row.
Unfortunately, once again, the boys fell just short in a tight contest, this time to Hinuera.
See below for photos of our 08,09,10 teams.
This Saturday (August 13) we are all hoping our 2022 boys go one step further when they take on Marist in the Championship Final.
Fixture
The final of the Elliot Shield between Hamilton Marist and Hautapu Sports will be played at Marist Park, Hamilton, at 1pm on Saturday August 13, 2022.
Colts from the past
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