Rugby: Perfect end to veteran Holwell's career

Northland player David Holwell scores a try in the tackle of Bay of Plenty player Tanerau Latimer. Photo / Getty Images

Northland 36
Bay of Plenty 24

Northland held off a desperate Bay of Plenty to win a see-sawing national provincial championship match in Whangarei last night.

The win gave veteran first five-eighths David Holwell the perfect end to a 16-year provincial rugby career, which he capped off by scoring Northland's first try of the match after 20 minutes.

Bay of Plenty went into the match sixth on the table, and needing a bonus point win to give themselves the best chance of a semifinals berth.

However, Northland - out of the running for playoff honours in 10th place - played the spoilers to perfection to shut down Bay of Plenty's top-four hopes.

Northland opened the scoring in the first minute through a Lachie Munro penalty, and maintained it in a scrappy first 15 minutes as both teams struggled to build continuity.

Bay of Plenty hit the front courtesy of an intercept try to halfback Taniela Moa, who latched on to Northland second five-eighths Aaron Bancroft's pass to stroll 40 metres to touch down.

Mike Delany added the extras, but the home team hit back almost immediately as Holwell busted through the tackles of John Pareanga and Tanerau Latimer for the 25th try of an illustrious NPC career.

Munro was equally accurate with the boot, and Northland regained the lead at 10-7 only to see Bay of Plenty reply with a well-worked try on the blind side to prop Josh Hohneck.

But the tit-for-tat scoring continued and the home team went to the break 17-14 ahead.

While the visitors regained the lead early after the restart with a try to replacement second five-eighths Grant McQuoid - and a conversion to multi-talented captain Colin Bourke - Northland bounced back with tries to flanker Dean Budd and halfback Rhyan Caine to lead 31-21 with 20 minutes remaining.

Bourke narrowed the gap to seven with a well-struck penalty but Northland finished strongly to shut out the game.

- NZPA