Masters performing

Due to the league masters top performance as the curtain raiser game to last Friday’s reserve grade league match between the Panthers and Warriors – they have been elevated to play the curtain raiser for the Avatiu Eels and Aitutaki Sharks match at the Swamp this afternoon.

The players are still learning the masters rules but a big improvement has been seen since the start of the season.

Two players wearing black shorts (40+) can tackle to stop but no vigorous tackling is allowed. Players wearing black shorts cannot tackle those wearing red shorts (50+) but can hold them without grounding them.

Those wearing gold shorts (60+) can only be touched and in defence they can touch the attacking player instead of holding or tackling.

It was great to see the Hon Minster of Finance Mr Brown coming off the bench as an impact player with the Benji Marsh step to score an easy try in the corner.

The player of the day will have to go to 72-year-old Papa T who made all the 40+ and 50+ players look like primary school kids.

Today’s masters game kicks off at 4.15pm sharp (be there on time) followed by the Avatiu Eels and Aitutaki Sharks premier game at 5pm.