Tiatia turns on class for dominant BOP AT A GLANCE
So much for a tightly contested top-of-the-table clash between Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay.
The Steamers thumped the Magpies 51-24 on the back of a Chase Tiatia clinic in Tauranga yesterday, earning Battle of the Bays’ bragging rights.
In handing Hawke’s Bay their first loss of the season, they also denied them the top seeding in the Championship section of the Mitre 10 Cup with two rounds to play.
Bay of Plenty’s comprehensive bonus point thumping has dragged them within three points of their fierce rivals as the crunch part of the season looms.
The now 6-3 Steamers (31 competition points) were sublime, effectively winning the game on the back of a rampant first half.
Hawke’s Bay ran in four second half tries to record a bonus point and get within 12 points, but Kaleb Trask kicked a penalty, and Tiatia finished off his hat-trick, to kill the Magpies off.
Replacement Tevita
Bay of Plenty 51
Mafileo
(Chase Tiatia 3, Joe Ravouvou 2, Kaleb Trask, Mitch Karpik, Tevita Mafileo tries; Trask 4 con, pen)
(Danny Toala, Geoffrey Cridge, Ollie Sapsford, Marino Mikaele Tu’u tries; Lincoln McClutchie 2 con). 31-0.
24
HT:
Hawke’s Bay
dived over at the death for good measure, raising the half-century with his team’s eighth try.
A year after the Magpies scored a last-ditch try to record a one-point win, Bay of Plenty rocked the visitors with 31 firsthalf points on the back of a blistering attacking performance.
Big wing Joe Ravouvou had two tries to his name before the clock had ticked past 10 minutes, the second of which came on the back of a superb offload from Tiatia.
It was just one of many plays Hurricanes outside back Tiatia made playing at second fiveeighth, as he continued his form from a standout Super Rugby season.