Fencibles Tour of USA

[kiwileaguefan]

The Auckland Metro Police Rugby League Team – currently touring the East Coast of America – got their first win of the tour on Monday night (local time) against the Jacksonville Axemen.

Played in 30 degree heat at the University of North Florida both teams entertained the small but boisterous crowd of around 250 people.
The Axemen organization is run by ex-pat Australian Daryl ‘Spinner’ Howland who has bought the game of rugby league to the city of Jacksonville. Many of the locals have embraced the game, loving the big hits and fast paced action played without helmets and pads.

There were a number of ex-pat Kiwis in the crowd who loved hearing the New Zealand National anthem and seeing the pre-match Haka once again not to mention hearing familiar sounding Kiwi voices.

The match itself started out with some big hits being put in from both teams. The New Zealand Police wanting to establish a physical presence, settled into their work nicely with a simple plan of dominating the middle and completing their sets. An early try from a set piece to winger Ben Tongalea after 10 minutes gave the Police team a confidence boost.

However it was not to go all the way of the New Zealanders, with the Axemen failing to break the line after repeated sets
it took a clever chip kick over the defense by Australian half back Aaron Peacock followed thru by winger Josh Jackson to score just wide of the posts.

Due to the heat the game was played in quarters, and straight after the break the Police found themselves down to 12 men after a dubious high tackle call from New Zealand Referee Wayne Urquhart. With the numbers difference and heat factor starting to kick in the Axemen took
advantage and posted another try. With half time on its way the New Zealanders starting getting too loose with the ball pushing passes or losing it in the tackle, it took the calming influence of former Auckland Warrior Tony Tatupu to settle the team down and take them into
the halftime break with a handy lead 26-10.

With plenty of water and ice towels being handed around, the Auckland team were certainly being hit hard by the hot humid conditions. During the halftime break the team was told to stick to the basics and respect the ball, don’t try to push the pass and the game will go their way.
Sure enough the Police teams began completing their sets and were rewarded with an early try.

However tragedy struck early and live-wire half back Ron Ram went down awkwardly in a tackle and broke his right leg in two places. Ram had been having a solid game with some telling hits on the Axemen, some of whom were twice his size.

Once more the Auckland team found themselves down to 12 men when powerhouse prop Chris Tupou got caught in a moment of madness using an elbow in the tackle and referee Wayne Urquhart sent him to the bin. On his return however Tupou was spurred into action with some
excellent running making big yards up the middle.

All around him his team mates played their part with Captain Ray Faaofo having his usual all round strong game and 2​

​

nd row partner Kali Fangavaka stepping up and making telling runs with the ball and timely tackles on defence looking very much like a Tongan version of the Auckland Warriors Michael Luck.

It was the sweet directing from stand-off Lee Tamatoa who popped passes and directed the play forward that kept the Axemen on the back foot all night along with some solid defence from Centre Metu Egelani that saw the Auckland Police team run out eventual winners 50-22.​

 

[roopy]

any chance of a source and date on that article?

 

[playdaball]

I saw CODE on TV tonight and Tawera Nikau and Matua Parkinson are off to the USA with the Police Team. Members of the team featured on Code last week.

 

[BCSharksRLFC]

August 14, 2008

Source: http://www.nzrl.co.nz/

 

[DaBulls]

NZ Police - 50
Axemen - 22

 

[sharkies9]

Does anyone know the score of new haven vs nz police? And are they or did they play D.C. Yet?

 

[Cheby]

The Fencibles did not play New Haven because New Haven is in the grand final on Saturday.

 

[BCSharksRLFC]

NZ played DC last Saturday and there was a game in New Haven (not against New Haven) last night but unsure of either score

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Auckland Metropolitan Police 52 DC Slayers 4

 

[deluded pom?]

I see that there was also a game played on GF day that involved two youth teams. Does anyone know how that went?