Takapuna led 21-17 at halftime, but had to contend with a hat-trick to Blues squad wing Afa Fa'atau and tries to the Law brothers, Callum and Sean. Northcote in fact outscored Takapuna six tries to five, but as has been so often the case over the years, the boot of Jon Elrick proved decisive. He kicked 16 points and scored a try for a 21-point haul. His brother Nick also crossed for a try. It was tit for tat as the lead changed hands several times.
In the other major semifinal North Shore and Massey simply wore each other down.
Neither side got into the other's 22m zone for virtually the whole game with only penalty goals turning the scoreboard over. At 6-all at the break, North Shore turned into the wind and had their one dominant period for the first five minutes of the second spell, culminating in a penalty goal. They carried the 9-6 scoreline to the 80 minute mark, but did not bank on five minutes of time added on. A knock-on at the base of the scrum, followed by a hard-charging Massey pack saw North Shore scrambling on their tryline and ultimately conceding the winning try to Mark Telea - his 12th for the season - well into the referee's time.
East Coast Bays comfortably disposed of Western Pioneers (47-24), who now hang up their jerseys for good, as their merger is now disbanded. They will revert to their previous incarnations as Kumeu and Helensville. In the other Bowl semifinal, Glenfield also did a demolition job on Silverdale 47-19, with Blues and North Harbour midfielder Michael Little setting some sort of record with five tries to set up a decider with Bays on Saturday.
The plate final saw Mahurangi finish off Marist 21-11 in a spirited contest.
Auckland
(Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield)
Grammar TEC 26 Waitemata 23
Suburbs 34 Pakuranga 5
Papatoetoe 27 Marist 10
(Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup)
College Rifles 22 Ponsonby 21
(Portola Trophy)
University 66 Te Papapa-Onehunga 10
Mt Wellington 25 East Tamaki 21
Eden 24 Waitakere City 12
Manukau 43 Otahuhu 5
It was a red-letter day in the long history of the College Rifles club.
After copping an 18-0 halftime deficit at the hands of visitors Ponsonby, the Rifles men's premier side clawed their way back into the contest to eventually prevail 22-21.
The victory gave them a trifecta of trophies, the Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield for the first time since 1973, the Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup, which they will keep for the summer, and the Comradery Cup for competition between Rifles and Ponies.
To cap off a momentous day, the College Rifles Thunderbirds, which once ruled the union in premier women's rugby, won the Coleman Shield 7-5 over Ardmore-Marist thanks to a last gasp try by Canadian international Andrea Burk, which she converted from the sideline.
The Rifles-Ponies clash looked to be a one-sided affair after Rifles gave a flat first half display. Ponsonby fullback Freedom Vaha'akolo scored the opening try as the visitors hogged possession. Wing Joseph Beckett scored, returning a poor clearance from 30m for a soft try. Ponies were working box kicks to pressure the Rifles' defence and the tactics appeared to be working.
But Rifles emerged a different side after the break, their scrum ascendancy started paying off, and the industriousness of inspirational captain and No 8 Hayden Edwards and the lineout work and energy of Jeremy Innes told. Lock Josh Brajkovic also brought intensity, as did replacement loose forward Tana Fotofili.
Fullback Otu Mausia scored after a break by first five Rocky Khan, while prolific wing Joseva Ravouvou, destined for Auckland honours, slipped two tackles to score in the corner.
Edwards fired off the back of a scrum to score and reduce the margin to two. It was left to Mausia to kick a 70th minute penalty for the lead, which Rifles never relinquished.
In the Gallaher Shield semifinals, Rifles will host defending champions Grammar TEC, who qualified fourth - and are the only 2015 semifinalist back in this season's playoffs - after edging Waitemata 26-23 at Orakei Domain. Slippery wing Kitione Taimani scored a double.
Ponsonby slipped to third and will travel to Shadbolt Park to face Suburbs, who trounced Pakuranga 34-5 with five tries to one. This will be Suburbs' first semifinal since 2013.
Papatoetoe moved up to fifth after beating Marist 27-10.
In the Portola Trophy, an Alex Tuala hat-trick headlined Varsity's 66-10 hiding of Te Papapa-Onehunga, Manukau Rovers cleaned out Otahuhu 43-5, and Eden beat Waitakere City 24-12.
Wilson Silipa's double, which extended his lead in the tryscoring charts, was not enough as his East Tamaki side lost 25-21 to Mt Wellington. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup semifinals)
Bombay 31 Pukekohe 16
Ardmore-Marist 14 Karaka 13
(Sid Marshall Shield semifinals)
Patumahoe 36 Manurewa 21
Onewhero 27 Waiuku 24
Defending McNamara Cup premier champions Bombay secured their place in next Saturday's final with a 31-16 win over Pukekohe on the hill.
The hosts got off to a flying start and went into the halftime break with four tries and a 25-6 lead. To the fore for Bombay were lock Matiaha Martin, not only in the lineout but also on defence, Kalolo Tuiloma, halfback Liam Daniela, openside flanker Mitchell Thackham and former Manu Samoa No 10 Ki Anufe.
In the other semifinal, Ardmore Marist clinched a 14-13 victory, overturning a 3-0 halftime deficit, over 2014-15 finalists Karaka. A late try to Louis Kapetani, converted by Luteru Laulala, sealed the victory. It was a fine day for Ardmore-Marist, with three teams qualifying for the finals, and their premier women just seconds from victory in the final of the Auckland competition.
In the Sid Marshall Shield semifinals, Patumahoe defeated a spirited Manurewa 36-21. The home side had a 17-8 lead at halftime. Alex Eruera and Harley Jenkins each scored a brace of tries for Patumahoe, while Jonny Wilkinson and Sam Furniss also dotted down.
Onewhero had a tight tussle with Waiuku to win 27-21, after going down to their third halfback due to injury. Steelers No 9 Richard Judd left with a cut head.
Hooker Andrew Jones scored a couple of nice tries for Onewhero, while lock Leroy Jack played well, and prop Robert Katu was named player of the day.
Thames Valley
(McClinchy Cup semifinals)
Waihou 19 Waihi Athletic 13
Mercury Bay 23 Hauraki North 18
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide)
Rangataua 34 Whakatane Marist 5
Te Puke 33 Rotoiti 20
Te Puna 5 Tauranga Sports 3
Mt Maunganui Sports 34 Greerton Marist 32
Waikato
(Waikato Breweries semifinals)
Melville 13 University 12
Hamilton Old Boys 30 Hautapu 20
King Country
(Semifinals)
Waitomo 16 Waitete 12
Taupo Sports 40 Taupo United 38
Tongariro 47 Taumarunui Districts 24
East Coast
(Chas Keelan Memorial Shield final)
Hikurangi 18 Uawa 16
Poverty Bay
Waikohu 106 Pirates 20
HSOB 24 Old Boys-Marist 4
YMP 32 Ngatapa 22
Hawke's Bay
(Maddison Trophy)
Havelock North 27 Hastings Rugby and Sports 10
Tamatea 18 Central 13
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 26 MAC 24
Taradale 39 Napier Technical 8
Napier Old Boys-Marist 59 Clive 12
Taranaki
(Final)
Tukapa 39 NPOB 17
Wanganui
(Semifinals)
Border 34 Ruapehu 15
Taihape 46 Marist 10
(Consolation semifinals)
Kaierau 36 Ratana 20
Pirates beat Utiku Old Boys by default
Manawatu
(Hankins Shield semifinals)
Kia Toa 32 College Old Boys 28
Varsity 13 Old Boys-Marist 12
(Val Holland Memorial Trophy semifinals)
Te Kawau 26 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 24
Feilding 33 Freyberg Old Boys 8
Wairarapa-Bush
(Tui Cup)
Gladstone 43 Pioneer 14
Marist 29 Greytown 24
Carterton 27 Eketahuna 24
East Coast 20 Martinborough 15
Horowhenua Kapiti
College Old Boys 30 Foxton 16
Paraparaumu 48 Levin Wanderers 28
Toa 46 Athletic 30
Waikanae 20 Shannon 16
Wellington
(Jubilee Cup)
Marist St Pat's 30 Wainuiomata 18
Tawa 38 Old Boys-University 20
Poneke 46 Upper Hutt Rams 32
Oriental-Rongotai 25 Wellington 25
(Hardham Cup)
Northern United 55 Avalon Wolves 38
Paremata-Plimmerton 22 Johnsonville 15
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 74 MSP 15
Petone 58 Old Boys-University 12
Tasman
(Nelson Bays semifinals)
Wanderers 38 Waimea Old Boys 6
Marist 15 Nelson 14
(Marlborough semifinals)
Waitohi 35 Moutere 30
Central 56 Harlequins 15
Buller
(Senior Shield final)
Ngakawau/Karamea 13-12 White Star
(Craddock Trophy final, 3-4)
Westport 40-19 Reefton
West Coast
(Semifinals)
Kiwi 48 Wests 3
South Westland 32 Blaketown 14
Canterbury
(Metro)
Christchurch 20 University 18
Lincoln University 32 New Brighton 17
Sydenham 39 Linwood 17
Marist Albion 39 HSOB 21
Sumner 34 Belfast 13
Shirley 36 Burnside 17
Mid Canterbury
(Watters Cup)
Rakaia 38 Methven 16
Celtic 26 Southern 20
South Canterbury
(Top four)
Celtic 25 Pleasant Point 20
Temuka 45 Waimate 45
(Bottom four)
Harlequins 41 Geraldine 17
MacKenzie 26 Old Boys 15
North Otago
(Citizen Shield semifinals)
Old Boys 41 Athletic-Marist 34
Maheno 30 Kurow 16
Otago
(Metro semifinals)
Dunedin 21 Harbour 20
Kaikorai 31 University A 29
(Other games)
Southern 55 Alhambra-Union 33
Taieri 24 Green Island 22
Southland
(Galbraith Shield semifinals)
Woodlands 33 Pirates-Old Boys 21
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 27 Marist 5
