Drew, who scored four tries during the weekend, is thrilled with his form and pointed out he is hoping to make the Magpies Mitre 10 Cup squad for the second consecutive year. He didn't get any first class minutes last year as a bout of pneumonia halted his progress at the start of the campaign but he recovered in time to play for Hawke's Bay at the national under-19 tournament.
His form at the weekend and with the Hawke's Bay Sevens team last month suggests he is on track to tick off his Mitre 10 Cup goal. With their displays at the weekend Napier Old Boys Marist secured the favourite's tag for Saturday's Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau.
However Drew confirmed last year's beaten semifinalists won't be represented in the open grade at Central Park.
"That's it for sevens for us until next summer. We've got our first 15-a-side pre-season game in two weeks so 15s has to be our priority now," Drew said.
That's an indication of how keen his team is to chase a repeat of last year's Spillane Cup-Nash Cup-Maddison Trophy treble. Along with the trio who gained tournament team selection, newcomer Michael Buckley and busy forward Matt Gardner got big ticks from NOBM manager Tim Jones.
"Michael impressed with his attention to detail and sevens nous while Matt controlled the middle of the field," Jones said.
Magpies forward Ricky Hayes scored a clever kick and regather try in the final. On their way to the final yesterday NOBM walloped Canterbury's Marist Albion 40-0 in their quarter-final and pipped Tauranga Sports 19-17 in their semifinal.
On Saturday NOBM finished top of their pool after losing 17-15 to Pakuranga and beating Bay of Plenty's Greerton Marist 31-7 and Northland's Old Boys Marist 14-7.
The other Bay team at the tournament, Unison Havelock North, lost 14-7 to North Harbour's East Coast Bays in the bowl final which means the villagers finished 10th. On their way to the final yesterday Havelock North beat the Auckland Sevens comp's runners-up Pakuranga 19-12 in their quarter-final and Bay of Plenty's Rangataua 24-0 in their semifinal.
In section play on Saturday Havelock North lost 24-5 to Eden after trailing 19-0 at halftime, 17-10 to Waikato's Fraser Tech after conceding the winning try during the final two minutes and 12-10 to Marist Albion of Canterbury after conceding the winning try in the final minute.
The villagers will have to display major improvement if they are to improve on last year's second placing at the Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau on Saturday. None of the Havelock North players were selected in the tournament team.
Havelock North were granted special entry to the tournament courtesy of the unavailability of Hawke's Bay's 2017 champions Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports.