Each side has a major weapon, Tech halfback Sheridan Rangihuna being the top scorer in the competition with 140 points, and Taradale No 8 Iakopo Mapu being the top tryscorer, a unique success for a forward, with 16 tries - four me more than the next-best.
While considerable focus was on the semifinals in Napier on Saturday, there was equal fervour and some head-scratching moments elsewhere, with two semifinals in lower grades going to extra time.
On a wet White Domain in Porangahau, home side Porangahau Sports Club won a Division 1 semifinal 3-0 win over Bridge Pa with a golden-point extra-time penalty goal to veteran fullback Grady Cutbush about five minutes into extra time.
On a much drier and firmer Farndon Park, Clive, veteran home-club side The Movement won its finals place, and a defence of the Maury Cody Cup it won at McLean Park last year, by scoring more tries than Napier Pirate after a 17-all deadlock at the end of 80 minutes was unable to be broken after another 10.
The 10 teams across the finals come from seven clubs, with both Tech and Taradale having qualified with two teams, as has Clive.
Porangahau, MAC, Hastings Rugby and Sports and Waipawa Country United each have one team on the road to McLean Park.
It was a particularly big result for Porangahau which hasn't appeared on McLean Park since a Division 2 final against Dannevirke club Aotea in a curtainraiser to a Hawke's Bay Magpies Ranfurly Shield defence in 2015.
Porangahau struggled through its first round this season, with just 17-18 players available, but gathered strength to be able to field full squads of 23 players, albeit including club chairman Andy Barrett, at age 41, and others such as Warwick Slingsby, who played over 250 games of premier rugby for Waipukurau-based Central before deciding to follow in his father's footsteps and get a season out of the way with Porangahau.
The coast club is considering a clubhouse rebuild, but doesn't have eyes on promotion to Premier, which would have been an offered as a Division 1 finalist had the competition's format for the year not been rearranged with a delay just as it was about to start.
Porangahau has seven children's teams and five netball teams, but is happy having just the one senior rugby side at the level it is playing. And, says Barrett, Saturday's game was "grassroots rugby at its best".
Clive saved its match against Napier Pirate with an equalising try in what would have been the last second had former Hawke's Bay Magpie Ray Karauria succeeded with the conversion from wide out.
Results of Hawke's Bay Rugby Union semifinals on Saturday:
Premier:
Napier Tech Old Boys 29 (Sheridan Rangihuna, Jayden Stok, Tamati Samuels, Damien Scott tries; Rangihuna penalty, 3 conversions) Havelock North 22 (Wiremu Erkell, Alex Philip, Trinity Neera tries; Trinity Neera penalty, 2 conversions).
Taradale 22 (Iakopo Petelo Mapu 2, Andrew Gardner, Josh Eden-Whaitiri tries; Kalani Grant conversion) Napier Old Boys Marist 19 (William Tremain 2, Boris van Bruchem tries; Jonty Stewart 2 conversions).
Division 1: MAC 25 Otane 20, Porangahau 3 Bridge Pa 0.
Division 2: Hastings Rugby and Sports 39 Napier Tech Old Boys 26, Waipawa Country United 28 Taradale 26.
Division 3: Taradale 22 Flaxmere 12, Clive 17 Napier Pirate 17 (extra time, result decided on most tries).
Colts: Clive 29 Hastings Rugby and Sports 11, Napier Tech Old Boy 42 Napier Pirate 10.
The draw for the finals at McLean Park, Napier, this week:
Friday:
Division 3 (Maury Cody Cup): Clive v Taradale, 5.30pm.
Division 1 (Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy): Porangahau v MAC, 7.20pm.
Saturday:
Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): Hastings Rugby and Sports v Waipawa Country United, 11.20am. Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Clive v Napier Tech Old Boys, 1.10pm.
Premier (Maddison Trophy): Napier Tech Old Boys v Taradale, 3pm.
