It’s a YMP, Waikohu premier final

It's not easy seeing green when it’s the green and white jersey of Larsawn Ngatapa hooker Ihaia Kerr (pictured) coming at you, as East Coast Farm Vets YMP replacement winger Winiata Tawara found during the Poverty Bay premier club rugby Lee Bros Shield semifinals at Rugby Park on Saturday. Coming across to help is YMP lock Eru Wharerau, with winger Matt Raleigh in support of the flying Kerr, who scored a try and had a hand in another as Ngatapa forged a 26-7 halftime lead, only for YMP to storm back to win 30-26. They face top qualifiers GT Shearing Waikohu in the final after the men from Te Karaka beat Enterprise Cars OBM 25-14 in the second semifinal. Pictures by Paul Rickard

A Reihana Wyllie-inspired YMP produced the comeback of the season to book their place in Saturday’s Lee Bros Shield premier club final, where they will meet last year’s runners-up Waikohu.

East Coast Farm Vets YMP came from 26-7 down at halftime to beat Larsawn Ngatapa 30-26 in a semifinal thriller at Rugby Park.

GT Shearing Waikohu held on to beat Enterprise Cars OBM 25-14 in the later semi.

YMP looked dead and buried as they went to the break but Wyllie rallied his team and they scored 23 unanswered points in the second half.

Ngatapa set the scene for a superb first 40 from the moment they emerged from the tunnel and raced on to the pitch, as YMP went for a more casual entry.

Ngatapa’s approach paid off as they opened the scoring after two minutes when skipper and halfback Chris Richardson scored a try, converted by first five-eighth Lyle Crudis.

Right wing Karl Macpherson started the move when he fielded a clearing kick 15 metres in from the touchline and 60m from the YMP tryline.

He took the direct route up the middle, before loosehead prop Campbell Chrisp and lock Scott Brodie carried the move deep into YMP territory. Hooker Ihaia Kerr then played his part with a neat infield pass to Richardson.

YMP hit back five minutes later when centre Whaimotu Craft-Chemis took a brilliant reverse pass from first-five Kahu Tamatea. Fullback Brian Whaitiri-White levelled the scores with the conversion.

Ngatapa reclaimed the lead after 12 minutes, following a 5m scrum when Richardson passed to Crudis, who sold two defenders the dummy to score.

Crudis converted to make it 14-7.

YMP took up the challenge as they continued to attack but went further behind when Kerr scored a try in the left-wing corner. It came after Ngatapa won a lineout and went through seven phases, involving second-five Anthony Karauria, centre Oka Sanerivi, Brodie and Macpherson before Kerr raised his arm in salute.

The try was unconverted and Ngatapa led 19-7 with 26 minutes gone.

That became 26-7 when fullback Cameron Rowden scored a try.

Karauria intercepted, ran 30 metres, then offloaded to left wing Matt Raleigh, who fired a pass back inside to Karauria, who fed a flying Rowden with a perfectly weighted and timed pass. He scored under the posts, leaving Crudis an easy conversion.

Whaitiri-White closed the gap with a penalty kick but Ngatapa had their tails up as they headed to the middle.

Ngatapa co-coach Sione Ngatu (No.8), Chrisp, lock Sam McDell, Richardson, Rowden and Macpherson were outstanding in that first 40.

“We had to score first after halftime; it was as simple as that,” YMP coach Steve Smith said. “Normally my halftime talk is about the technical aspect of the game but I just told the boys we had been out-passioned in the first 40, and asked them to show the passion YMP sides are known for.”

With Wyllie leading from the front, YMP reduced the deficit to 26-15 within two minutes of the restart.

Craft-Chemis looked to be on his way to the tryline after an intercept but was caught by Raleigh and Rowden just short of the line.

YMP were awarded a penalty and after halfback Quinnton Pari-Collins took a quick tap and Whaitiri-White recycled the ball, Pari-Collins fed Wyllie from 5m out and he crashed over the line for a try that was not converted.

Five minutes later it was 26-22 after referee Royce Maynard — after consulting touch judge Les Thomas — awarded YMP a penalty try for a deliberate knockdown by Crudis as YMP looked set to score close to the Ngatapa line,

With Crudis also being shown a yellow card, Ngatapa struggled to get out of their 22.

But the defence that stifled YMP for the first 40 minutes held firm until just before Crudis returned, when left wing Jeremy Ferris finished off a move involving Pari-Collins and Tamatea.

The try was not converted but YMP were ahead for the first time in the match, 27-26.

Crudis had the chance to make amends when Ngatapa were awarded a penalty 10 metres in from the left touchline and 25 metres out from the posts, but his attempt missed.

With nine minutes to play, Tamatea stretched the lead with a penalty.

It was not enough to make the game safe as an unconverted try would have given Ngatapa the lead.

The men from Patutahi summoned up one last effort before the ball was turned over and YMP, again led by Wyllie, used the pick-and-go to run down the clock.

Ngatapa co-coach David McDonald was “disappointed and frustrated”.

“Disappointed that we didn’t close down their space in that last 40 the way we did in the first 40.

“And frustrated with the mounting penalty count in the second half.”

YMP 30 (W Craft-Chemis, R Wyllie, J Ferris tries, penalty try (automatic conversion); B Whaitiri-White con, pen, K Tamatea pen).

Ngatapa 26 (C Richardson, L Crudis, I Kerr, C Rowden tries; Crudis 3 con).

HT: 26-10.