Kawakawa fight back to beat Kerikeri in epic encounter

If next week's semifinal rematch between Kerikeri and United Kawakawa is half as good as Saturday's encounter it will be nothing short of sensational.
 An epic game, resulting in hoarse throats on both sides of the supporters' fence, saw United Kawakawa  fight back to win 17-13.
And if the 300 or so on the sidelines doesn't swell to 1000 at Kawakawa's home ground next weekend - with a huge influx of support from North of Bull's Gorge - questions have to be asked whether or not the mid-north town deserves the big stage, as will be seen when Northland meets Auckland at Kerikeri on August 15.
Because you will not see better grassroots rugby than this, and if you can't get right in behind your local team then donning Cambridge Blue scarves and jerseys is of little consequence.
Fortunately for Kerikeri, they do have a small, tight-knit band of loyal travelling supporters that will walk over broken glass to cheer them on. 
The score didn't matter except for possible home ground advantages with both sides having already secured a semi. But pride did matter.
And it was Kerikeri's young first-five, 19-year-old Mike Cook, who gave his side plenty to cheer about.
His  prodigious punting drew "oohs" and "ahs" every time the boot touched leather. Cook gave a half of rugby that is rarely seen outside of the slumber zone, running and beating would-be tacklers with ease, driving it deep,  along with rock hard defence and flawless tactics.
And it was his first try that lit the match when stand-out half-back Craig Joyce put him away on the blindside to score in the corner.
Joyce - like Cook - has added an extra dimension that hasn't been seen in blue and red for the last couple of years, and both must have representative selectors scribbling furiously in pencil.
 Kerikeri continued to spoil the party when  Joyce again made a difference.
His chip kicked was not controlled by Lea'aemanu Fine and Tom Van Vliet got his  hands on it, beat two and took it to 10-0.
Joyce added a penalty, 13-0, and Kawakawa felt the impact of a 40-minute shut-out.
Halftime huddles were  a tale of two opposites - Kerikeri's all hustle and bustle amidst messages of firing for the first 10, and Kawakawa's deadly quiet as coach Dave Latu did more shuffling than a casino croupier. And it paid off in spades.
Kawakawa were a completely different unit after halftime, and it was Kerikeri's turn to feel self-doubt - the confident chat cut short.
The big Kawakawa forwards muscled it up and strong running in the backs from the Latu brothers, Joseph and Simon, had Kerikeri thinking it would be easier to get a grip on a oil-slicked pig.
Penaia Molimolo got among the forwards to cross the chalk, and Kerikeri's lead was shaved to one point when Joseph Latu sliced through to score. Fine converted, 13-12.
If it wasn't for the cover defence of Joyce, who managed to roll underneath No8 Lisiate Hauhau and hold him up, Kawakawa would have taken the lead within 10 minutes of the start of second half. Instead, midway through the second stanza Latu took his chance and got his second when he beat four, then carried another three players the last 10 metres to the line for a 17-13 Kawakawa lead.
Kerikeri then got hungry and the match see-sawed in both possession and territory, leaving players bodies strewn across the pitch.
And for five excruciating minutes before the final whistle - for both sets of fans - Kerikeri hammered away at the Kawakawa line without luck.
Both coaches, Kawakawa's Latu and Chubb Komene for Kerikeri, singled out their respective No8's as the game's best - Trevor Ikipule for the visitors and Hauhau for the home side.
* Semifinal draw: United Kawakawa v Kerikeri; Moerewa v Ohaeawai.