Hawke’s Bay v Northland: Ranfurly Shield safe as Magpies play out high-scoring gutbuster against Taniwha

Ben O’Donnell scores one of his two tries for Hawke's Bay in a man-of the-match performance. Photo / Photosport

The Ranfurly Shield remains in Hawke’s Bay hands after a night of more than a point-a-minute pure rugby spectacle at McLean Park.

Twelve tries were scored across the teams on Friday, nine by the Magpies, as they ran out comfortable winners 55-30 over a free-running Northland Taniwha.

The Taniwha will rue another one that got away, leading 9-0 early with three penalty goals, before a crucial period when they shipped two quick tries before halftime.

That forced them to play catch-up second-half rugby. That had some success at the attacking end but left them exposed on the flanks at the other and their opponents’ outstanding outside backs took full advantage.

Ben O’Donnell scored a brace in an eye-catching performance, while Neria Fomai looked equally good when in possession.

The All Blacks have some fine young halfbacks, but the performance of Folau Fakatava in his 55 minutes again showed why he was once at the head of that pack.

Neria Fomai ranging on the wings. Photo / Photosport

Hawke’s Bay, the third-most successful union in Ranfurly Shield history, have now played 118 matches for the trophy since its first in 1905, and have won seven challenges.

The last 11 seasons have featured 37 matches for 32 wins, including a 2013 victory over Otago to end a 44-year Shield drought in Hawke’s Bay, and other successful challenges since then have been against Counties Manukau (2014), Otago again (2020), and Wellington last year.

In that time, there has been one draw (against Southland in 2014) and one of the successful defences was a fulltime draw against Bay of Plenty in a 2021 match that became the first Ranfurly Shield match decided under new NPC provisions for extra time.

The three losses were to Counties Manukau (2013), Waikato (2015), and Wellington (2022).

Folau Fakatava of Hawke's Bay had another standout game. Photo / Photosport

The referee was Auckland official Marcus Playle, who has refereed Hawke’s Bay four times, including Ranfurly Shield defences against South Canterbury in 2022 and last month against Whanganui.

For the Magpies, it’s the start of storm week, with matches against Canterbury in Christchurch on Wednesday and Manawatū in Palmerston North four days later, ahead of the next Shield match against Tasman in Napier on September 7.

Northland’s next match is against Southland in Whangārei next Friday.