Napier has one hand on the Ross Shield for 2022

Hastings West's Mapesune Mapesune and Hastings East's Will Symes in the drawn match on Wednesday. Hastings West must beat Napier on Saturday to share the trophy. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier has one hand on the Ross Shield after completing a fourth win from four matches with a round to play at the historic Hawke's Bay primary schools annual rugby tournament at Rugby Park, Dannevirke.

Napier beat Wairoa 67-5 in the penultimate match on Friday and on form is favoured to put the shield out of reach against Hastings West at 11am on Saturday.

Napier shared the honours with Hastings West when it last claimed the trophy in 2018.

Napier needs at least a draw against Hastings West on Saturday to claim the outright title, while the Hastings side will claim a share if it wins.

The honours went close to being decided on Friday, with Hastings West battling all the way to score a 5-3 win over home side Dannevirke.

In Friday's other match, Hastings East beat Central Hawke's Bay 41-14.

On Saturday, the Hastings East and Wairoa match starts at noon, and Dannevirke and neighbour CHB start the last match at 1pm, with the country team's Life Members Salver at stake.

A Hawke's Bay Primary Schools representative team and players of the tournament will be named afterwards.