Another breakdown infringement gave Wellington field position and Peter Lakai’s line break put them hot on attack, with Xavier Numia grabbing the game’s first try a few phases later.
The Magpies responded immediately. With a penalty advantage from an attacking scrum, Chase Tiatia grubbered in behind for Sapsford, a former Wellington Academy product, to get Hawke’s Bay on the board.
Their red zone defence stood strong against a Lions maul from a five-metre lineout, forcing a scrum where tighthead prop Joel Hintz forced yet another penalty this season.
A Nick Grigg line break put Hawke’s Bay into the red zone and Lincoln McClutchie knocked over a penalty goal in the 27th minute after he was caught by a late tackle.
The Magpies built pressure with multiple attacking set pieces five metres out, but Wellington turned the tables and won a scrum penalty of their own.
It was the hosts who ended the first half in stronger fashion and when Tom Parsons was pinged for not releasing the tackler, Morgan slotted a penalty to restore their lead.
Hawke’s Bay had a big chance in the 48th minute, building attacking phases before a Siosiua Kaifa linebreak got the Magpies 10 metres out.
They knocked on, but continued to dictate terms in the second half, going through 31 phases before Du’Plessis Kirifi forced another penalty for holding on.
A Geoff Cridge offload to Pouri Rakete-Stones for a linebreak got the Magpies back into the red zone and Jonah Lowe scored Hawke’s Bay’s second try in the 57th minute from the resulting overlap.
Chase Tiatia’s no-arms tackle on Julian Savea allowed Aidan Morgan to tie the scores five minutes later with a long-range penalty goal.
Connor Garden-Bachop almost gave Wellington the lead but his drop goal attempt missed.
Momentum swung back towards the Magpies as the game entered its final 10 minutes.
But a brilliant 50/22 from Billy Proctor turned the game, allowing Penieli Poasa to dot down off the back of a rolling lineout maul.
Savea tackled a player without the ball, allowing Lincoln McClutchie to kick for a 10-metre lineout with three minutes to play.
Pick-and-go phases brought the ball to midfield and former Wellington flanker Sam Smith came back to haunt his old side with a try under the posts.
Wellington pinched the ball back from the kickoff but knocked the ball on with the 80 minutes over.
The win means Hawke’s Bay will keep the Ranfurly Shield for summer and could have secured a home NPC quarter-final at McLean Park next weekend depending on other results.
Wellington 18 (Xavier Numia, Penieli Poasa tries; Aiden Morgan 1/2 cons, 2/2 pens)Hawke’s Bay 20 (Ollie Sapsford, Jonah Lowe, Sam Smith tries; Lincoln McClutchie 1/3 cons, 1/1 pen) HT: 10-8
