Central’s trophy dream comes to cruel end

Hastings Rugby and Sports flanker Patrick Tuifua scores in the tackle of Napier Old Boys Marist halfback Kade Manuel-Green as the Hastings side scores a crucial bonus point to reach the Maddison Trophy semifinals. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Maddison Trophy Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby dream of Waipukurau club Central unravelled in the cruellest way on Saturday in a last-round shakeup that shut the side out of a place in next weekend’s semifinals.

In second place going into the last match before the playoffs and missing out on a bonus point in being beaten 36-20 by Taradale, Central’s fate was ultimately decided by Hastings Rugby and Sports’ which turned defeat into triumph by claiming two bonus points when beaten 44-37 by brother club Napier Old Boys’ Marist.

Midfield back Duff Penetito scores one of Napier Old Boys Marist's seven tries in a 44-37 win over Hastings Rugby and Sports. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hastings nabbed one point for scoring four tries or more, and another for losing by no more than seven points.

Napier Tech Old Boys, struggling since winning all 10 matches in the Nash Cup competition earlier in the season and teetering one place outside the top four going into the weekend, made it through with an eight-tries-to-four home-ground win 55-28 win over Hastings side MAC.

Both semifinals will be in Napier next Saturday, with Taradale, aiming to win the Maddison Trophy for a third year in a row, at home against Hastings R&S, and Napier OBM, in the semi-finals for an eighth year in a row (including titles in 2016, 2017 and 2019) garnering a home semifinal against Tech at Tremain Field, Park Island.

Features of Saturday’s games were the two tries to bustling Taradale loose forward Iakopo Mapu, making him the top try-scorer in the 15-match regular season, with 15 to his name, and the 18 points to Tech general Sheridan Rangihuna, making him the top points-scorer with 149.

Hastings Rugby and Sports first five-eighths Koby Deacon raised a crucial try plus 12 points from the boot to make it to 100 and become the fifth player to raise a century of points in 2023 Hawke’s Bay Premier rugby this season.

The Maddison Trophy final will be the last of four on finals day at McLean Park, Napier, on July 15.

In the five-team Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy Division, Aotea claimed a semifinal berth with a 34-31 home win in Dannevirke, sending Hastings side Tamatea home without a win this season.

Aotea will travel north for a semifinal against Napier Pirate, who beat Havelock North 29-17, and Havelock North have a home semifinal against Clive.

One Division 2 semi-final will also be between Napier Old Boys Marist and Tech at Tremain Field, and Porangahau will have a home semi-final against Napier Pirate, while in Colts semifinals Clive and Hastings Rugby and Sports will have home-semifinals against Havelock North and Taradale respectively.

Celebration of the first of Hawke's Bay rugby's championship title wins of 2023 - Maraenui's Senior 3 final win over Clive at Farndon Park, Clive. Photo / Doug Laing

Maraenui brought off a minor surprise when they blocked the Clive “Movement” drive for a third successive Division 3 title with a 28-22 win in their final at Farndon Park, Clive.

Maraenui was on a mission, having in February had their clubrooms flooded for a second time in just over two years, being unable to muster a Division 2 side this season, and being without any Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union silverware since winning the Division 3 competition in 2013 and 2014.

During the season fielding three generations of descendants of late club life member Graeme “Podge” Porter - a son, a grandson, and a great-grandson - the side was barely able to mount a training session all season, but scored two long-range converted tries to lead 14-0, early in the match, but it was 21-12 at halftime with Clive on the move and taking the lead at 22-21 for about 10 minutes in the second half.

Maraenui won the game with the second of two tries to captain Mona Te Whaiti, the others going to fullback Eugene Toko and first five-eighths Justice Broughton, who converted all four.

Taradale beat Central 36-19 in the Division 2A final

Results:

Premier (Maddison Trophy Round):

Napier Tech Old Boys 55 (Xavier McCorkindale 2, Makaro Joel 2, Sheridan Rangihuna, Morgan Poi, Liam Udy-Johns, Manaaki Aranui tries; Rangihuna penalty, 5 conversions; McCorkindale conversion) M.A.C 28 (John Ika 2, Meni Manase, Hateni Tafolo tries; Hateni Tafolo 3, Alatasi Tupou conversions).

Napier Old Boys Marist 44 (Kere Penitito 2, Josh McIntyre, Dylan Homan, Duff Penitito, Mitchell Gibson, Paoraian Manuel-Harman tries; Bain Champion penalty; Jonty Stewart 3 conversions) Hastings Rugby and Sports 37 (Jayden Rihia 2, Bryson Crawford-Pakoti, Koby Deacon, Patrick Tuifua tries; Deacon 2 penalties, 3 conversions).

Taradale 36 (Iakopo Petelo Mapu 2, Majella Tufuga, Hemaua Samasoni, Trinity Spooner-Neera, tries; Spooner-Neera penalty, 4 conversions) Central 20 (Kaliova Mocetadra 2, Zaccheaus Simpson tries; Jordan Soli penalty, conversion).

Final points: Taradale 24, Napier OBM 16, Napier Tech 15, Hastings R&S 14, Central 13, MAC 4.

Division 1 (Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy):

Aotea 34 (Jacarn Peeti-Webber 2, Jone Tuikoro, Manuele Peato, Rangi Chase tries; Hoera Stephenson penalty, 3 conversions) Tamatea 31.

Napier Pirate 29 (Konradd Newland 2, Luke Russell, Hugh Taylor, Rocky Hoffman tries; Ryo Kikkawa, Tipene Maxwell conversions) Havelock North 17 (Alex Philip 2, Teihana Brown tries; Tawhiri Gifford-Kara conversion).

Clive a bye.

Final points: Napier Pirate 20, Havelock North 15, Clive 10, Aotea 8, Tamatea 5.

Division 2 (Tom Mulligan Cup): Napier OBM 43 Napier Pirate, Porangahau 27 Napier Tech OB 24, Waipawa Country United 13 Hastings R&S 10, Otane 42 Bridge Pa 12. Final points: Napier OBM 35, Porangahau 26, Napier Pirate 24, Napier Tech 20, Otane 18, Waipawa 12, Bridge Pa 8, Hastings R&S 8.

Division 2A (final): Taradale 36 Central 19.

Division 3 (final): Maraenui 28 Clive 22.

Division 3A (final): Tamatea 37 Napier OBM 17.

Colts (Pat Ryan Memorial Trophy): Clive 62 Onga-Tiko 10, Taradale 44 Napier OBM 19, Hastings R&S 46 Napier Tech OB 19, Havelock North 29 Napier Pirate 19. Final points: Clive 32, Hastings R&S 28, Taradale 26, Havelock North 21, Onga-Tiko 20, Napier Pirate 9, Napier Tech 6, Napier OBM 2.