Team bonds can't match iwi pride

For 80 minutes Vito Peato and Mathew Mason will look to smash each other into the ground and it's all for their iwi.
Normally Peato and Mason are team mates for the Waicoa Bay Stallions - but at the weekend they found themselves on opposite teams for the annual New Zealand Maori Rugby League Tournament held at Puketawhero Park at the weekend.
Peato played for his iwi Te Arawa and Mason for Tauranga Moana in the Waka Section, which was won by Te Rarawa (Northland).
The other sections Wahine Toa and Rohe were won by Counties Manukau and Tamaki respectively. The Rangatahi match between New Zealand Maori 17s and New South Wales Maori 17s was won convincingly by NZ Maori 42-14.
Mason said it was never easy having to go up against a team mate but he was always proud to represent his iwi.
"You put on the jersey and your mate becomes your enemy. Sure we all look to hit hard and play hard but once we got off the field we are all brothers again."
The 23-year-old said wearing his Tauranga Moana jersey meant a lot to him.
"It's probably more important than say a rep jersey because you are playing for you family both past, present and the future generations. Yeah so it means a lot to all of the guys."
Peato said he had no trouble "smashing" his mate on the paddock. "But afterwards we will have a beer and have a laugh about it later."
Peato managed to get the last laugh at the weekend when Te Arawa beat Tauranga Moana 14-10.
Both teams looked to play a hard physical game with both sets of forwards looking to try and dominate each other.
The effect was they both cancelled each other out. The difference was in the backs with Te Arawa's centres Temahitahi Parata and Darcy Hunt looking in devastating form. The pair used the pace and strength regularly to break tackles and find space for their outside men. Te Arawa were unlucky to have a couple of tries disallowed and found themselves 6-4 down at halftime.
However, two early tries in the second half gave them a lead they wouldn't relinquish despite a late rally by Tauranga Moana in the last 10 minutes of the game.
Scorers:
Te Arawa 14 (Richard Sobels, BJ Raroa, Darcy Hunt tries; James Ryan goal) Tauranga Moana 10 (Willy Rutene, Ed Tukaki tries; Lewis Rawiri goal) Halftime: 4-6.