HB snatch Log o’ Wood out of the fire
Urgency brings spark to Bay’s attack
The Hawke’s Bay Magpies came from behind to beat North Harbour 25-23 to retain the Ranfurly Shield on Saturday afternoon at McLean Park. A vocal crowd of 7500 got the home side over the line as they trailed late into the second half.
The Magpies made a dominant start up front with scrum and ruck supremacy earning them some attacking possession.
Fullback Chase Tiatia scored the opening try with 10 minutes played, set up by a classy pass from Lincoln McClutchie at the North Harbour line.
Hawke’s Bay were then penalised twice in a row at breakdowns allowing the visitors to advance up the field then get on the board with a Bryn Gatland penalty goal.
Harbour took another breakdown penalty quickly and shifted the ball wide for Tevita Li, one of many dangerous outside backs, to score a try that put them into the lead in the 17th minute.
His opposite left winger, Lolagi Visinia, put Hawke’s Bay back in front soon after as McClutchie laid on the last pass for another try.
Both teams struggled for attacking momentum over the rest of the half, conceding penalties at the breakdown and giving away the ball with overthrown lineouts.
Harbour first five-eighths Gatland missed a 38th-minute penalty shot to get his team within a point but a Magpies mistake saw the visitors lead at halftime.
Hooker Tyrone Thompson’s lineout throw 10m from the Hawke’s Bay tryline went over the top to his opposite Luteru Tolai and Li bagged his second try a phase later.
An early second half penalty for a Harbour tackler not releasing allowed McClutchie to tie the game at 15-all from the tee.
The same infringement by Hawke’s Bay saw Gatland restore the visitors’ three-point advantage in the 46th minute.
Harbour extended that lead before the hour mark when Stacey Ili gave fullback Shaun Stevenson too much room in his own half and Li finished off a brilliant attack for his hat-trick try.
The urgency of the situation brought some needed spark to Hawke’s Bay’s attack but untimely errors and penalty concessions continued to hamper them.
North Harbour were pinged for their tackler not releasing and McClutchie nailed the penalty goal that made it a one-score game with 10 minutes to play.
Magpies openside flanker Solomone Funaki and hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes won consecutive penalties for holding on, resulting in an attacking lineout on the 22m line.
The Magpies piled on the pressure and Stevenson received a yellow card for cynical play at a ruck just short of the tryline.
Hawke’s Bay went to the rolling lineout maul and Kereru-Symes got in the boot for the Magpies’ crucial third try in the 76th minute.
McClutchie (4/5 kicks at goal on the day) nailed the conversion from the sideline to put his team in the lead.
North Harbour had a final chance
but blindside flanker Cameron Suafoa knocked on, allowing the Magpies to put the ball out and successfully defend the Ranfurly Shield for the 13th consecutive time in the tenure.
The Log next goes on the line on September 10 when Southland visit McLean Park.
Before that Hawke’s Bay play Canterbury in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.