“This was what a semi should be — a hard, fast, honest game, with both teams playing their hearts out,” Tokararangi player-coach Israel Brown said after his side moved a step away from claiming their first title since 2015.
“It’s always great to play our family from over the hill.”
Tokararangi captain and openside flanker Hone Haerewa was “happy with the boys’ performance” but not getting carried away.
“We still have things to work on but to have the opportunity to fight another day — in the big dance — is awesome.”
Weather and ground conditions for the semifinal were superb as Tokararangi started with the breeze at their backs.
The hosts struck in the fifth minute from an attacking scrum 15 metres from the Hicks Bay goal-line.
Halfback Te Aho Haenga went right to first-five Rapata Haerewa, whose inside pass found second-five Bay Kooti Kingi on the charge.
The ensuing ruck saw Haenga again push right to Haerewa, who threw a beautiful cut-out pass for centre Teina Potae to run on to and score to the right of the posts.
The conversion attempt was missed.
Three minutes later, from another scrum in Hicks Bay territory, Tokararangi came again.
Haenga darted into the openside and was tackled. Two rucks were followed by a series of passes and fullback Pamona Samupo injecting himself into the line to put right wing Whakarae Henare into space.
Henare gave blindside flanker Tyrone Delamere and fullback Romeo Newey-Schumann the slip to score in the corner for a 10-0 lead.
That became 15-0 in the 31st minute when lock Kyah Hollis won a lineout against the throw, and Haenga, Haerewa and Samupo combined to set Potae away down the left touchline, and he scored in the corner.
On the cusp of halftime, referee Eruera Kawhia awarded Hicks Bay a penalty just six metres from the Tokararangi line.
The visitors chose the tap-kick, No.8 Anton King having a crack, then brother and tighthead prop Josh King going over for the try from a pick-and-go.
Tokararangi led 15-5 at halftime and both teams relished the break after 40 minutes of intense play.
Hicks Bay had done well under the pressure of Rapata Haerewa’s skilful use of the breeze in finding touch and Tokararangi’s long passing game.
Both teams ran wherever possible and there was no senseless kicking.
Seven minutes after the resumption, first-five Manahi Brooking gave the visitors new hope.
Awarded a penalty five metres from Tokararangi’s goal-line, TVC tapped and the ball was sent left to hooker Jim Hovell.
From a ruck on the whitewash, Haenga went left again to Brooking, who scored to the right of the posts and converted his own try.
Tokararangi led 15-12 until the 63rd minute when from an attacking scrum six metres from Hicks Bay’s goal-line, Haenga passed to Rapata Haerewa on the right and he was brought down. From the ruck, Haenga sent a long-range pass — which cut out two men — to fetcher Sonny Campbell, who went over 15m in from the right touchline to put them 20-12 ahead.
Tokararangi struck again from the restart.
Reserve hooker John Brown caught the ball from the kick-off and steamed back to within 10m of halfway centrefield.
The ball went through three sets of hands, and a sensational back-flick from reserve openside flanker Israel Brown put Samupo in the clear and he raced away to score under the crossbar. Haerewa converted to make it 27-12.
Tokararangi scored their sixth try on fulltime. After a series of passes and a couple of rucks, lock Dyllyn Evans toed a loose ball from the 22m line to the goal-line and beat Hicks Bay’s defenders to it.
Haerewa converted for a 34-12 victory.
The Aaron King-coached Hicks Bay, led superbly by co-captains Frank Taiapa and Shaun Murtagh, may have been beaten by 22 points but they rose to the occasion and dug deep against a side well-generalled by Hone and Rapata Haerewa.
“We enjoyed our last game,” said coach King. “Our youngsters, playing a good team, stepped up. It was open rugby, and both teams had their opportunities. I’m proud of our boys and they’re stoked because we’re climbing as a club.”
All of them were keen to return next year, he said.
Referee Kawhia and assistants David Newton and Harawira Matahiki were not a factor in this game. Their decision-making, gentle humour and old-fashioned courtesy ought to be a template.
Potae was named Tokararangi’s player of the day while Hicks Bay’s player of the day went to the team.
