Magpies midfielder Neria Fomai (second from left) celebrates with teammates after his stunning try against Wellington. Photo / Ian Cooper
Magpies midfielder Neria Fomai (second from left) celebrates with teammates after his stunning try against Wellington. Photo / Ian Cooper
Not only do two of the nominees for New Zealand Rugby's try of the year both come from Hawke's Bay, the pair even come from the same Samoan 'aiga', or family.
Hawke's Bay Magpies midfielder Neria Fomai's effort against Wellington in the Mitre 10 Cup is one of the 10shortlisted for the 2020 Sky Fans Try of the Year, along with his nephew Bethel Lutele-Malasia's five-pointer for the Napier Boys' High School first XV against Palmerston North.
Both of the scoring Samoans were stoked to even be up there with the best tries scored across first XV, Farah Palmer Cup, Mitre 10 Cup, Super Rugby and the All Blacks this year.
Winger Lutele-Malasia who, at 17, has just completed Year 12 at Napier Boys' High School, reckons he was speechless when he heard he made the list.
His brilliant try was the icing on the cake of a dominant 50-21 win over Palmerston North Boys' High that saw Napier reclaim the Polson Banner over their fierce rivals.
Napier Boys' winger Bethel Lutele-Malasia said he was speechless to be nominated for Sky Fans Try of the Year 2020. Photo / Supplied
His uncle Neria Fomai's score was probably the pick of many Hawke's Bay Magpies tries in their Championship winning campaign.
It came in the second half of Hawke's Bay's 34-18 win over Wellington which saw the Magpies lock up the Ranfurly Shield for summer.
"As soon as we turned it over, I think that's when we play a lot of our best rugby, off-the-cuff stuff," Fomai said.
Fullback Kurt Baker made the initial break from deep in the Magpies' 22 before finding blindside Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, who offloaded to Fomai.
The 28-year-old said he saw hooker Ash Dixon in his peripheral vision and flicked the ball to him immediately, thinking he was in a better position.
"I saw Dicko with his hands up too, looking for the ball, so I thought I better give it to the captain," Fomai laughed.
The ball eventually found first five Lincoln McClutchie, who flirted with the sideline before slipping in a kick ahead for Fomai to ground in the in-goal area.
He said because of the continuity of the squad from 2019 to this year, everyone knew each other's style of play:
"I think we just grew closer as a team this year, a lot closer, and that showed in our game."
It is inspiring the next generation too – Bethel Lutele-Malasia said his uncle's try came down to that pure connection among the Magpies team.
"The trust they had between them was outstanding," he said, adding that sort of play motivates him and his Napier Boys' teammates to do the same thing.
"Seeing the bond between the brothers in the Magpies team has really made me push to play freely and play like myself."
Fans can vote for any of the Sky Fans Try of the Year nominees until 6am on Saturday.
The winner will be announced at the New Zealand Rugby Awards in mid-December.
