Watch: Brawl ends with two red cards in Mitre 10 Cup

Hawke's Bay and Manawatu players brawl. Photo / Photosport

Manawatu have fallen agonisingly short of a place in the Mitre 10 Cup Championship semifinals, after a 36-31 defeat to Hawke's Bay in a clash marred by two red cards.

Hawke's Bay's Tony Lamborn and Manawatu's Newton Tudreu were both sent off following a melee in the 34th minute.

Lamborn started the fracas with some hostile punching, before Tudreu came in with a knee to the head. Both players were sent off by referee Cam Stone in a rare instance of a double red card.

When Manawatu scored immediately after the reds, they took a 17-0 lead, and looked secure of getting the win which would earn them a semifinal spot.

However, Hawke's Bay came roaring back, scoring a remarkable 31 points in 18 minutes as Manawatu sufferred from their short turnaround, having previously played in a Ranfurly Shield challenge on Wednesday.

That lead then extended to 36-17, before Manawatu came charging back themselves, with a 79th minute try closing the gap to five.

A draw would have been enough for Manawatu to claim their semifinal spot, and they looked certain to accomplish that when they got within metres of Hawke's Bay's line after the hooter had sounded.

However, terrible decision making and a shocking pass ended their attack, giving Hawke's Bay the win and gifting Northland fourth spot on the ladder.

Northland will now play Wellington in the first Championship semi on Friday night, before Bay of Plenty host Otago on Saturday afternoon.