Sevens: Finalists produce show with try-fest

All Blacks Sevens player Matt Clutterbuck scores for Rangataua against Matamata at the Greerton Marist Sevens held on Saturday. Photos / Andrew Warner

Waikato clubs contested the main final of the Greerton Marist Sevens held at Greerton Park on Saturday.

It was a shame for the hard working organisation that some teams became late withdrawals but the 12 that competed put on an entertaining and competitive day.

Rangataua were expected to contest the Championship final after their stoic performance at the Central Coast Sevens in Australia last weekend, but they were not at full strength and fell in the semifinals to a lively Matamata team.

Matamata faced off against Hamilton Marist in the final in what turned out to be a try-fest. The lead changed hands several times but eventually Marist won: 33-24. Host club Greerton Marist, including Steamers winger Leroy van Dam, lost the Plate final to Morrinsville 19-14, with Manurewa defeating Rotoiti 24-5 in the Bowl final.

TRY TIME: Greerton's Daniel Van Den Berg scores against Te Puke at the Greerton Marist Rugby Sevens. 011114AW27BOP

Greerton Marist president, Terry Meredith, says the tournament went very well and they received good feedback from all the teams.

"We were pretty proud of our boys as we haven't featured too much in sevens recently. They did very well to make it to the Plate final," he said.