“Locks Ofa Tauatevalu and Sione Kiniua have played well throughout the whole campaign, stealing ball. Those boys have big work-rates around the field, and Moses Christie (right-winger) causes the opposition problems every time he touches the ball.”
Christie, hooker Seth Lundon, No.8 Billy Priestley and left-winger Te Hiwaroa Paenga scored tries. Poverty Bay’s most valuable player (MVP), first five-eighth Austin Brown, kicked a conversion.
Hutana said this was Brown’s best game so far for his running and astute tactical kicking.
Poverty Bay led the Bush 15-13 at halftime. Right-winger Jack Beetson and fullback Jack Eschenbach scored tries and Eschenbach kicked a penalty for Bush’s first-half points.
Lock Matt Vollebregt and second-five Sam Smith were to the fore for the Bush on defence while hard-running blindside flanker Joe Gordon was Bush’s MVP.
Bush coach Joe Nuku said it was a fast game.
“The Bay love to run — they capitalised on mismatches and space, and ran the ball close to the ruck.
“We scored two tries out wide because of our structure but Poverty Bay were more aggressive at the breakdown. They forced us to commit numbers there.
“It was a clean game but very physical.”
The Bay’s Priestley, blindside flanker Wiremu Taufa-King and captain and prop Joseph Mason led the way in terms of physicality. They are hard men to stop with the ball in hand.
Mason said momentum swung back and forth, but they were happy with the win.
Captain and coach are on the same page — the only thing that annoyed them was that Poverty Bay let Wairarapa Bush in twice just before the break.
Bush captain and lock Dominic Herlihy gave the visitors credit for their execution.
“They were better than us on the day. They had a simple game-plan based around big, hard carries and pinning us down in our 22. Their No.8 really tested our defence. He had a great game and the direct approach really worked for them.”
The game was controlled by Bay of Plenty referee Amon Rimene, a protégé of former Poverty Bay whistle-blower John Donnelly.
