Sea Eagles stop Sharks

The Sea Eagles fended off a determined Sharks assault in the weekend’s rugby league action, scoring a win over the visiting side in a tight contest in Ngatangiia.

The Eagles spent much of the match in the Sharks’ defensive half, testing the Aitutaki boys and keeping pressure on the visiting team throughout.

But the Sharks stood up to the assault in good form, managing a couple of breakaway tries for their efforts.

But the home side came up trumps in the end, beating the Sharks 16-8.

The Avatiu Eels and the Arorangi Bears were the weekend’s other winners in the premiership division.

The Eels dominated the Takuvaine Warriors at Happy Valley Stadium to win 46-11 in their match on Saturday.

Later that afternoon in Arorangi, the Bears topped the Titikaveka Bulldogs 27-12 in their premier grade match.

The Bulldogs threw all they could at the Arorangi side and despite trailing on the scoreboard throughout, they managed to keep up with the Bears for the bulk of the match.

The teams swapped tries and points right through the game, with Titikaveka coming within four points of the Bears at one point.

The Bulldogs took every chance they could to progress their score, using penalties when they could to stab at the posts.

But having come close to the Bears before half time, the Bulldogs weren’t able to keep up with their opponents in the second half and Arorangi managed to pull away by full time.

Back in Muri, Aitutaki Sharks club president Mona Ioane said the team and its supporters were again left humbled by their treatment in Rarotonga.

After the match on Friday, the Sharks were presented with a massive kaikai from the Ngatangiia club and village to send them off.

Ioane said the treatment was outstanding and the hospitality they received was characteristic of the generosity of the Rarotonga clubs.