Magpies lock in capital semi
Hawke’s Bay have chance to avenge Shield loss in NPC quarter-finals
The Hawke’s Bay Magpies have the perfect opportunity to avenge their Ranfurly Shield loss in an NPC quarter-final in Wellington this weekend.
Hawke’s Bay will play the current Shield holders at Sky Stadium after finishing a topsy-turvy final weekend of the round robin in fourth place in the Odds pool.
Their 25-17 win over Tasman at McLean Park on Friday night proved enough to qualify for a fifth straight finals campaign after Canterbury defeated Otago on Saturday.
Wellington’s big win over Counties Manukau yesterday confirmed their place at the top of the Odds pool.
The Magpies might have slipped to third on points differential had Bay of Plenty secured a big enough win over Waikato in Hamilton yesterday.
But Waikato stormed back from 20 points down to win 34-33 and secure a home quarter-final against the same opponents this weekend.
The other quarter-finals see Canterbury host Northland and North Harbour host Auckland.
Hawke’s Bay conceded the Ranfurly Shield to Wellington with a 12-19 loss at McLean Park two weeks ago.
They lost their next game against Bay of Plenty but stopped the rot against Tasman with a tremendous defensive performance.
Hawke’s Bay had the first opportunity to attack when Tasman failed to secure the kickoff in the heavy rain.
They kicked for touch after a penalty and hooker Tyrone Thompson rode the rolling maul home for a thirdminute try.
The treacherous conditions featured again when a Mako kick in behind just evaded their centre Levi Aumua, preventing a certain try.
Tasman fullback Taine Robinson opened his team’s scoring with a ninth-minute penalty goal.
Penalties against Hawke’s Bay had the Mako on top but the Magpies defence at set pieces and in general play kept them in the game.
Robinson had the chance to put Tasman in front but missed his 25thminute penalty kick.
Hawke’s Bay looked good when they finally got ball in hand and they got their second try in the 29th minute when Danny Toala found Neria Foma’i in space with a cross kick.
Tasman replied in similarly spectacular fashion with good work from Aumua and Macca Springer ending in a Noah Hotham try minutes later.
That levelled the scores — Lincoln McClutchie had missed both sideline conversions in his 50th game for the Magpies.
Hawke’s Bay leaped ahead right on halftime with a Marino Mikaele-Tu’u try one phase after an attacking scrum five metres out.
A brilliant line break from Devan Flanders set up Foma’i for the Magpies’ crucial bonus-point try seven minutes after halftime.
Outstanding centre Aumua was denied another try, this time by the TMO for a knock on in build-up.
Tasman first five-eighths Willy Havili missed a regulation penalty goal attempt that would have cut Hawke’s Bay’s lead to nine with 23 minutes to play.
The Mako were laying siege to the Magpies line but the defence held fast, eventually holding All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku up in goal.
Phase after phase was repelled before Kianu Kereru-Symes won a penalty for holding on, releasing the pressure with 14 minutes remaining.
He and the other forwards won a scrum penalty against Tasman’s feed, allowing McClutchie to extend the lead beyond two tries.
Mako winger Sevu Reece sparked a 100m break ending in a try to Viliami Na’apa with two minutes to play. But it was too little too late for Tasman, as Hawke’s Bay avenged their 2021 semifinal loss to the Mako at the same venue.