Thames hosted Mercury Bay in round one of the 2020 Thames Valley Club Rugby Senior A Competition on June 20. In a physical first round encounter, both teams threw the kitchen sink at each other, however it was Mercury Bay who dealt with the first game blues better moving the Thames team from side to side and exposing their defence on several occasions.
A number of mistakes from both teams kept each other in the game, however it was the Dwayne Mansell coached side who took the honours – final score: Mercury Bay 20, Thames 8. Thames try to George Havealeta and penalty to Jarrod Goodall; Mercury Bay tries: Jamie Finnerty, Kegan Gunner, Connor McLeod/Jayden Tegg 1p/1c.
Hauraki North labelled themselves as a team to beat after their first showing in round one of the Senior A Competition on June 20. Up against a young and energetic Paeroa side, it took a while for both teams to settle back into game mode, with Hauraki North clinging onto a 10-6 lead at half-time.
However, it was experience and home advantage which became critical for Hauraki North, running out eventual winners 32-6. Final score: Hauraki North 32, Paeroa 6.
RESULTS: Round 1 June 20 Senior A: COBRAS 36 vs Waihou 8; Waihi Athletic 5 vs Whangamata 8; Hauraki North 32 vs Paeroa 6; Thames 8 vs Mercury Bay 20. Senior B: Thames 7 vs Mercury Bay 7, COBRAS 15 vs Coro 36, Ngatea 6 vs Tairua 61, Paeroa defaulted to Hauraki North. June 27: Whangamata 10 vs COBRAS 2; Paeroa 21 vs Waihou 51; Thames 5 vs Hauraki North 23; Mercury Bay 35 vs Waihi Athletic 10.
DRAW: July 4: Cobras v Paeroa at Te Aroha 2pm; Whangamata v Mercury Bay at Whangamata 2pm; Waihi Athletic v Hauraki North at Waihi 2pm; Waihou v Thames at Te Aroha 2pm. July 11: Mercury Bay v Cobras at Whitianga 2pm; Thames v Paeroa at Thames 2pm; Hauraki North v Whangamata at Waitakaruru, 2pm; Waihi Athletic v Waihou at Waihi 2pm. July 18: Cobras v Thames at Te Aroha 2pm; Mercury Bay v Hauraki North at Whitianga 2pm; Paeroa v Waihi Athletic at Paeroa 2pm; Waihou v Whangamata at Waihou 2pm. July 25: Hauraki North v Cobras at Waitakaruru 2pm; Waihi Athletic v Thames at Waihi 2pm; Waihou v Mercury Bay at Te Aroha 2pm; Whangamata v Paeroa at Whangamata 2pm. August 1: Cobras v Waihi Athletic at Te Aroha 2pm; Hauraki North v Waihou at Waitakaruru 2pm; Thames v Whangamata at Thames 2pm; Paeroa v Mercury Bay at Paeroa 2pm. August 8: Waihou v Cobras at Te Aroha 2pm; Whangamata v Waihi Athletic at Whangamata 2pm; Paeroa v Hauraki North at Paeroa 2pm; Mercury Bay v Thames at Whitianga 2pm. August 15: Semi finals, August 22, finals, McClinchy Cup.
