Cottrell's boot nails semifinal win for the Tui

Celebrations after Hawke's Bay Tui centre Amelia Pasikala (No 13) scored the Hawke's Bay try which put the game out of reach of the Northland Kauri. Photo / Ian Cooper

The Hawke's Bay Tui will be hoping for third time lucky after coming from behind to beat Northland Kauri 28-19 in an Farah Palmer Cup rugby Championship semifinal on Saturday at McLean Park, Napier.

The Tui were looking for promotion to the premiership, having been beaten in the lower-division final the last two times it's been played, in 2019 and last year.

Hawke's Bay will travel for the final in which they meet the Otago Spirit, which on Sunday maintained an unbeaten record this year with a 42-17 win over the North Harbour Hibiscus at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

With a win over Northland in Whangarei in the round-robin phase of the competition, the Tui were the favourites to win on Saturday, but in conceding two first-half tries were down 14 -11 at halftime.

With three tries each, it came down to the boot of first five-eighths Krysten Cottrell, who landed three penalty goals and two conversions.

The Bay's first-half try was scored by fullback Rakai McCafferty. The No 8 scored early in the second half to put the home team back in front in a 10-point hit while the side was down to 14 players, and centre Amelia Pasikala scored with eight minutes to play.

No 8 Hikitia Wikaira and wing Ana Allen scored the first-half tries for Northland, both converted by prop and veteran Krystal Murray, who missed the conversion of the late third try by first five-eighths Tyler Nankivell, bringing up the final score and giving Northland just a minute-and-a-half to score twice if they were to claim a victory.

Hawke's Bay men's development side the Saracens had their best performance of the season with a 27-27 draw against Taranaki Development, in a rain-drenched first match on a new turf at New Plymouth's Yarrows Stadium.

They were down 13-6 at halftime, with two penalty goals to Connor McLeod, but scored three second-half tries, to Solomone Fono, Xavier McCorkindale and Will Tremain, with McLeod adding one conversion and Jordan Thompson-Dunn kicking two.

The Hawke's Bay Under-19s overcame the elements to bring a shine to their football in Palmerston North for a 38-0 win over Manawatū's Under-19s, after a scoreless first half. Tries were scored by Cooper Flanders, of Havelock North, MAC players Mefi Tupou, Hame Lauaki and Meni Manase, and Bethell Malasia, of Napier Tech Old Boys, along with a penalty try. Harry Godfrey, of Central, kicked three conversions.

On Sunday, the Wairoa sub-union side had a comfortable win in the first Barry Cup match in Wairoa since 2008.

A week after a successful challenge against Poverty Bay side Waikohu in Te Karaka, Wairoa wowed the Lambton Square fans with a 43-21 win, including three to McCorkindale just 24 hours after playing in Saturday's Saracens match in New Plymouth.

Other tries went to Ngahiwi Manuel, Angela Mufana, Jeffry Ishmail and Kyoni Te Amo, with Paoraian Manuel-Harman kicking four conversions.

It was 21-14 to Wairoa at halftime, and the next defence will be against East Coast side Waiapu in Wairoa next Sunday.