Katikati Stags Beat Judea 41-12 in Culture-Themed Derby

The Katikati Stags made the most of their King's Birthday training break, putting in a commanding 41-12 performance against Judea on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Kick-off was at 2.45pm, and the home side came out firing from the first whistle, crossing the line twice early before Judea steadied and tightened their defence to make a contest of it.

After the break, Judea came back with energy and scored twice of their own, but the Stags' forward pack began to assert themselves at scrum and lineout time. Slick backline phases opened space for further tries, and the scoreboard ticked well clear, keeping Katikati firmly at the top of the table.

The week's theme was Culture, and players proudly represented their whakapapa — with connections to Fijian, Samoan, Tongan, South African, Scottish, English, and Māori heritage among the squad. After the final whistle, both teams and their supporters shared in an umu feast, celebrating the game and the community bonds that make rugby more than just a sport. Coach Quinton Landman urged supporters to turn out this Saturday when the Stags travel to face Eastern Districts Rugby Club at Paengaroa, with kick-off at 1pm.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).