League: Pacific have final say over Pikiao

Pacific's Victor Karora-Reu (with ball) crossed for a try in his team's semifinal victory over Pikiao on Saturday. Also pictured is Pikiao's Percy King. Photo / Ben Fraser

It is becoming a familiar narrative for the Pacific Sharks. For the third successive year, the Tokoroa heavyweights have earned a spot in the grand final of the region's top rugby league competition.

They will meet Taupo Phoenix this coming weekend in the Bay of Plenty Coastline premier grand final in Rotorua.

To reach the final this year, Pacific had to get past Rotorua's top side Pikiao in their semifinal at Tokoroa's Memorial Park on Saturday. In a rematch of last year's grand final, the Sharks outmuscled Pikiao 20-4 in front of a big home crowd.

Taupo earned their final spot by dispatching the Otumoetai Eels 32-24 at Hickling Park.

Pacific coach Paniora Daniels said they produced a good second half to beat a resilient Pikiao team. "Pikiao really turned up," he said.

"I think we were a bit impatient in areas but we got it right in that second half. We just had to hold the ball and show some patience, and once we did that we got a bit of go forward and the rest was history."

The crowd numbered in the hundreds on Saturday, including plenty of Pikiao supporters who travelled over from Rotorua.

Among the vocal crowd was the Pacific drummers, who have become a trademark of the Tokoroa club. "The supporters really turned it on for us, they really got us home in the end," Daniels said.

Pikiao coach Garrum Davis said it was a disappointing result. "Still disappointed in the loss," he said. "We thought we could do it but unfortunately it did not work out that way."

Pikiao only trailed by two points at halftime, but could not crack the home side's solid defence in the second half.

Davis said they were down to one substitute during the second half, which did not help their cause.

"We were down to one on the bench, just with injuries, which makes things hard, but that's the way the cookie crumbles."

Pacific opened the scoring on Saturday with a try to hooker Patrick Russell. Pikiao's Pirikawana Taiatini scored a great individual try towards the end of the first half to make the score 6-4 at halftime.

A hard-hitting and very entertaining 15 minutes of rugby league opened the second half before Justus Riki-Hamana scored down the right edge for Pacific after a nice play down the short side involving Jeremy Siulepa and Yannis Mea.

Fatigue became a factor for Pikiao as Pacific ran in two more quick tries down the left side through brothers Victor and Tamatoa Karora-Reu. Tamatoa was particularly impressive at centre.

The grand final for all three senior grades will be played at Rotorua's Puketawhero Park this coming Saturday.

- Pacific 20 (Patrick Russell, Justus Riki-Hamana, Victor Karora-Reu, Tamatoa Karora-Reu tries; Patariki Takiri con, pen) Pikiao 4 (Pirikawana Taiatini try).

-Reserve grade story P23.