Provincial rugby: Host club Foxton within a whisker of annual 10s tournament cash

Darren Falaniko from Foxton gets caught by a FIAPS player in the final.

It was very nearly a popular hometown victory in the annual Foxton 10s rugby tournament at Easton Park at the weekend.

Teams from Wellington, Palmerston North and Horowhenua-Kāpiti rugby unions had entered and after the round robin games were completed, it was Foxton and the composite Manawatū team FIAPS, from Palmerston North, who qualified for the final.

With a $1000 cheque as first prize up for grabs, there was plenty of interest in all the games throughout the day, with some also played at nearby Manawatū College.

The final between FIAPS and Foxton was evenly matched with the hosts opening their scoreboard account with two quick tries to take an early lead, only for FIAPS to fight back with two tries of their own to take a 12-10 halftime lead.

The second half started how the first ended with FIAPS scoring two early tries to extend their lead to 19-10. Foxton fought back to be 19-15 down but lost a player to the sin-bin, allowing FIAPS to capitalise and extend their lead to 24-15.

Foxton managed a late try, however, it wasn’t enough in the end with FIAPS the winners by 24-20.

FIAPS captain Sase Va’a said their side was a composite team from different clubs.

FIAPS player Ofa Taua'Tevalu makes a break down the right wing in the final of the Foxton 10s tournament.

“We’re just a bunch of guys from some of the Palmy teams there who got together to get a team going for this,” he said. “This just shows the comradeship amongst the teams.

“Just go out there, throw the ball around and have fun, as that’s what we really like doing. It was a fun day and everybody enjoyed it, which is what it’s all about.”

Match organiser and Foxton Rugby Club president Nathan Paki said: “This was hugely successful, and I’m proud of our club for putting on a good show, and just thankful for the weather to stay fine, and the footy was even better.

“The final could have gone either way, and I’m just proud of our Foxton boys for the way [they] held it together. This augurs well for the coming season 2024,” Paki said.

Foxton captain Scully Jackson said during the halftime team talk, “we had wanted to start the next half shutting their space down”.

“They were really utilising their space well and capitalising from it on the scoreboard. We managed to eventually do that, and at the end it came down to all or nothing and the scoreboard showed that,” Jackson said.

The Plate final was won by Wellington club Norths, who beat Manawatū Maori 24-12 and took home a cheque for $500.