“It was tough stuff. And as to the final this weekend, the boys are excited.”
Hicks Bay’s big first-five Terangi Fraser opened the scoring in the 1 v 4 semi with a penalty goal for 3-0 in the ninth minute.
In the 21st minute, he repeated the dose to give them a 6-0 lead.
Next came the try to King’s fellow lock Meiha Waitoa, and Fraser’s conversion made it 13-0.
Three minutes later, right-wing James Henderson rustled up a try for Tokararangi. No conversion followed but Fraser had the last word before the break with his third penalty to put Hicks Bay 16-5 ahead.
At the 61st minute, Toka left-wing Boxer Shaw scored and second-five Rapata Haerewa’s conversion closed the deficit to 16-12.
Hicks Bay again put themselves past the seven-point mark in the 72nd minute when flyer Tipene Meihana scored on the left-wing and the invaluable Fraser did his duty with the boot for 23-12.
Tokararangi openside flanker Israel Brown, dangerous and competitive to the end, scored the last try of the match in the 78th minute.
Haerewa’s conversion wasn’t enough and a team with true grit had made it through to the final.
Hicks Bay captain second-five Manahi Brooking spoke of the speed of the game and its bruising physicality.
Tokararangi skipper and tighthead prop Teina Potae would no doubt agree that the match was joyously rugged and provided a mental and physical test of a true semifinal.
Hicks Bay will go to Cape Runaway now no longer as rank outsiders but giant-killers — a good position to be in.
Hikurangi went down fighting as defending champions TVC beat The Maunga by the narrowest of margins.
TVC captain and openside flanker Moana Mato won the coin toss and chose an end.
Hikurangi skipper fullback Kris Palmer decided to kick off with the wind.
On a chilly but gorgeous day, Palmer scored the first points of the match — a penalty goal in the 16th minute.
Loosehead prop Joseph Roberts scored the only try of of the 2 v 3 semifinal in the 25th minute, which — with reserve first-five Benny Haerewa’s conversion — gave TVC a 7-3 lead at halftime.
At the 65th minute, Palmer landed his second penalty.
Palmer had three shots at goal in the last 10 minutes and no match report could adequately describe the tension of such a low-scoring final in front of a crowd of around 300.
Mato was generous in the hosts’ triumph.
“It was forward-dominated but a great semi. Hikurangi have a young team — they’re only going to get better.”
NPEC SEMIFINALS
Tokararangi 19 (James Henderson, Boxer Shaw, Israel Brown tries; Rapata Haerewa 2 con) Hicks Bay 23 (Meiha Waitoa, Tipene Meihana tries; Terangi Fraser 2 con, 3 pen).
HT 13-7 Hicks Bay.
Tihirau Victory Club 7 (Joseph Roberts try; Benny Haerewa con) Hikurangi 6 (Kris Palmer 2 pen). HT 7-3 TVC.
MVPs: Wahapeka Campbell/Boxer Shaw (Tokararangi), Team (Hicks Bay), Joseph Roberts (TVC), Te Otene Ria (Hikurangi).
