The Uawa forwards, led by captain and flanker Ben Parkes, capitalised on the weakened Toka scrum. They also began to cut their lineouts to four men from time to time. They took play up into Toka territory where Sam Parkes kicked another penalty.
Fullback Pamona Samupo finished off a Toka backline movement when he kicked ahead, ploughed through a couple of Uawa defenders who had fumbled the ball, and scored near the corner. The try was not converted but it put Toka in front, 8-4.
Uawa took play up from the restart, and passed the ball through their backs to move near the Toka line.
Uawa No.8 Harley Phillips had made useful metres in a midfield burst, and received his reward when he scored after a Uawa rolling maul. Sam Parkes converted, and Uawa regained the lead, 12-8.
At the 25-minute mark Uawa camped on the Toka line but the defence was staunch, closing the game down with hard tackles. However, the ball came out to Sam Parkes who circled round to score Uawa’s second try, which he converted.
Right on halftime, Toka were awarded a penalty when Uawa failed to release the ball. They went for a pushover and Hone Haerewa scored. The try was converted by first five-eighth Rapata Haerewa and Uawa led 20-16 at the break.
Toka had reason to be happy with the first 40. The tight five — hooker Tina Waitoa, props Lewis Hovell and Johannes Akapita, and locks Frank Henderson and Hone Haerewa — were doing well in all areas except lineouts. Flankers Hori Shaw and Boarat Matarawi went straight at the Uawa inside backs every time. Halfback Israel Brown filled the vacant No.8 spot at times.
First-five Haerewa’s kicks for touch gained plenty of ground and the Toka backline was effective when he fed the ball out.
Uawa co-coach Tip Nukunuku said that with the score so close, the halftime talk stressed the point that Uawa hadn’t come so far this season to stumble against a team of 14.
Amazing what a few words can do: five minutes after the second half started, Sam Parkes scored his second try and a second try for Phillips followed. Sam Parkes converted both to make it 36-16.
Uawa’s last points were a penalty kicked by Sam Parkes from 45 metres and the game looked sewn up.
However, at the 30th minute Toka wing Mohi Bartlett scored and the try was converted by Hone Haerewa. At 38-24 it was still “game on” and the last 10 minutes were fiercely contested, with both sides handling the ball well in slippery conditions.
Uawa chose Rikki Kernohan as their man of the match, although he was first among equals. It was a slick performance by all players for most of the first half, and all the second.
Sam Parkes’s performance in general play and with his boot reinforced his right to captain the Ngati Porou East Coast Heartland team.
Uawa 38 (Harley Phillips 2, Sam Parkes 2 tries; Parkes 4 con, 3 pen) Tokararangi 24 (Pamona Samupo, Mohi Bartlett, Hone Haerewa tries; Hone Haerewa con, pen, Rapata Haerewa con).
HT: Uawa 20-16.
Hikurangi and TVC battled the elements as well as each other in their semifinal at Whakarua Park, Ruatoria, on Saturday.
The soggy pitch and sticky ball made it difficult for two good sets of backs, so it was up to the forwards to sort the game out — one of those matches where there’s plenty of hard graft but not too much to write about.
First to score was Hiku’s Horace Lewis, and this was soon followed by a penalty kicked by TVC back Benny Haerewa.
Hiku halfback Charlie Harrison was performing well, and scored early in the second half. Later, some of Hiku’s bigger men, including Lewis and Rhys Walker, were replaced by fresh legs. Matanuku Parata scored soon after coming on as a replacement, and his try was converted by captain and halfback Kris Palmer.
Prop George Tuala’s try took Hiku’s total to 26, and near fulltime TVC replacement Dion Hignett scored a try to make the final score 26-8.
Hikurangi 26 (Horace Lewis, Charlie Harrison, Matanuku Parata, George Tuala tries; Kris Palmer con) TVC 8 (Dion Hignett try; Benny Haerewa pen).
HT: Hiku 6-2.
