KEY POINTS:
Counties Manukau
Pukekohe scrambled back to the top of Counties Manukau club rugby with a last minute 9-6 victory over top qualifiers Karaka in yesterday's grand final.
Karaka will be scratching their heads as to how they lost after dominating possession and territory for 75m and will rue the desperate attempt to regain possession that handed a penalty shot to Pukekohe's reliable boot, Blair Feeney, with time up on the clock. The top points scorer in the competition obliged, referee Simon Brown signalled full time and the party in Pukekohe began.
Karaka looked the better side and offered Pukekohe only scraps to play with for most of the game. But a fine defensive effort led by young Pukekohe centre Iseia Tuifua often created handling errors or turnovers. The dominance was not converted into points - a lesson that Karaka should learn as this was their first final.
On the rare occasions Pukekohe visited Karaka territory, they came away with points as Karaka's discipline around the breakdowns gave Feeney kickable chances that he duly took. The Karaka scrum had the edge while Jamie Chipman was a solid source of ball for Pukekohe in the lineouts.
Auckland
Ponsonby's clinical 36-0 win against Waitakere City has taken them into position to win a fourth straight Gallaher Shield when they meet Waitemata in Saturday's final. Ponsonby are unbeaten this season and it was obvious they were in no mood to let Waitakere even remotely into the game. They were 10-0 ahead after just 10min when winger Steve Skinnon received the ball on the 22 and carried several defenders with him as he burst over the line.
Skinnon had an outstanding match and was almost impossible to contain.
On the other wing, Nick Afoa also impressed with his balanced and clever running, which had the Waitakere defence scrambling.
Ponsonby are fortunate to have an accurate goalkicker, with Brett Williams slotting kick after kick. However, this was due to relentless Ponsonby pressure that forced Waitakere to infringe repeatedly. Williams also scored the last try, after supporting another Skinnon break, to finish with a personal haul of 22 points.
Waitemata will meet Ponsonby next week after beating Marist 17-15 in the other semi final. The week before, Marist beat Waitemata after scoring a try in the last play of the game but they could not manage such heroics again.
Marist opened the scoring with a well taken try to first five Steve Shapland. Waitemata fought back and scored two tries to lead 12-5 at halftime. They seemed to have the game won until Marist's young wing Thomas Timani fielded a clearing kick in his 22 and then busted the defence to score a spectacular 80m try.
With Waitemata clinging to a two point lead it was all set for another exciting finish.
Marist threw everything they had at the line but their final passes would not stick.
North Harbour
Former representative prop Adrian Donald celebrated his 100th senior game for the club in appropriate style as Takapuna charged into next weekend's North Harbour premiership title match with a 30-7 win in the semifinal over Northcote yesterday.
Donald scored one of Takapuna's five tries, helped create another and was instrumental in helping Takapuna counter what was Northcote's main strength, the power of their scrum.
Takapuna, last year's champions and easily Harbour's most successful club in the past 12 or so years, will meet Marist in the final, the latter achieving that distinction for the first time with a 17-11 win over the 2004-05 titleholders, Massey.
Though eventually enjoying a handsome winning margin, Takapuna were often under pressure against Northcote and might well have trailed at halftime had a penalty goal late in the first spell been landed.
Instead Takapuna immediately attacked and took a significant 12-7 halftime lead, having played first against the wind, when Donald scored his try.
Another try immediately after the break placed Takapuna on the path to victory, though there was a period of considerable scrummaging pressure in the second spell from Northcote.
But Takapuna survived and thanks to the class of their backs, especially the inside backs John Volckman and Dave Strachan and veteran fullback Jerome Smith, reasserted their edge.
North Shore and Silverdale will meet in the plate final, with Shore beating Helensville yesterday 30-0 and Silverdale winning 19-7 over East Coast Bays.
