Hawke's Bay's 2022 NPC campaign ended in bitter disappointment on Saturday afternoon with Wellington defeating them 28-21 in a quarterfinal at Sky Stadium.
A horror first half for the Magpies and far too many errors left the visitors with too much to do late in the game.
A couple of early infringements at the breakdown saw Wellington take a 4th minute lead with a penalty goal in front of the posts by Jackson Garden-Bachop.
The first five eighths' smart kick in behind led to their first try immediately after when fullback Ruben Love scored in the corner.
The disciplinary issues got even worse when Hawke's Bay hooker Tyrone Thompson received a yellow card for collapsing a maul and Wellington were awarded a penalty try.
Wellington's Peter Umaga-Jensen was lucky not to be sin-binned himself for a cynical deliberate knockdown as the Magpies looked to counter.
Hawke's Bay finally found a foothold in the game, keeping the Lions scoreless until Thompson returned.
Excellent blindside flanker Marino Mikaele-Tu'u went through the Wellington line but with the Magpies hunting points quickly, pushed an offload he shouldn't have and conceded possession.
Hawke's Bay kicked to a lineout five metres short of the tryline in the 34th minute but conceded a penalty for holding on a couple of phases later.
Garden-Bachop added a drop goal to Wellington's three-score lead just before halftime.
Hawke's Bay supporters enjoy some Wellington sun. Photo PhotoSport
The Magpies were lucky to be that close and Wellington continued to frustrate them into the second term, enjoying a significant territory advantage.
Hawke's Bay finally kicked into gear in the 53rd minute with Chase Tiatia and Danny Toala combining on halfway to put Brad Weber in for a try.
Errors continued to plague both sides in the stop-start second half but the Magpies had scrum dominance and forced a tighthead in Wellington's 22.
First five eighths Lincoln McClutchie scored a try off the back of that, reducing the deficit to four points with 14 minutes to play.
Wellington were happy to back their kicking game and concede possession, a strategy which backfired as the Magpies found their attacking groove.
Hawke's Bay took their first lead of the game with eight minutes remaining when Josh Kaifa went over the tryline a couple phases after a close-range lineout maul.
That spurred the previously passive Lions into life and a Richard Judd try put Wellington back up by four with three minutes left.
A very dubious call saw referee Ben O'Keefe ping Joel Hintz for off-the-ball contact, taking possession from Hawke's Bay and allowing Jackson Garden-Bachop to slot a 50-metre penalty goal.
The Magpies had one final chance and advanced up the field, forcing penalties and earning a five metre lineout.
But O'Keefe denied Hawke's Bay once more, calling Kianu Kereru-Symes' throw not straight in overtime.
Wellington 28 (Ruben Love, penalty try, Richard Judd tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2/2 pen, 1/2 con, drop goal) Hawke's Bay 21 (Brad Weber, Lincoln McClutchie, Josh Kaifa tries; McClutchie 3/3 con)
