Rugby: Hawke’s Bay Māori win tournament for first time since 2007

Te Matau a Māui Hawke's Bay Māori player Luke Russell secures the Te Tini a Māui tournament title with the last try in a 33-14 win, obtained through the tackle of Hastings-based Wairoa player Jordan Thompson-Dunn at Elwood Park, Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

A year and a half of resurrecting Hawke’s Bay Māori representative rugby bore its greatest prize to date when Te Matau a Māui beat Wairoa 33-14 in the final of the Te Tini a Māui regional tournament on Saturday at Elwood Park, Hastings.

Hawke’s Bay have at times been absent from the competition, unable to fill a team, but after playing the tournament in Wellington last year, the team was invited to stage the 2023 event, their winning of the Hikaia Amohia trophy being their first since 2007.

The tournament drew six teams, from Wellington representatives Te Ūpoko o te Ika to Poverty Bay representatives Tūranganui a Kiwa, with Taranaki and Whanganui unable to take part and the Wellington team impacted by the selection of a Wellington Māori team to play national Heartland Championship side Horowhenua-Kāpiti.

Wairoa, preparing to defend northern Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and East Coast sub-unions challenge trophy the Barry Cup against Poverty Bay side Ngātapa in Wairoa next Saturday, were invited into the tournament and surprised with a 15-14 win over Te Ūpoko o te Ika after being down 14-0, and then beat Manawatū Māori 27-14 after being down 14-5 to win their pool.

Te Matau a Māui won their pool with a 54-0 win over Horowhenua-Kāpiti and a 14-7 win over Tūranganui a Kiwi.

Having beaten Wairoa 26-19 in their hometown seven days earlier, Te Matau a Māui expected another tough challenge, but led 21-0 at halftime with tries to Brayden Cunningham, Eli Rore and Tawhiri Gifford-Kara, each converted by Jayden Falcon.

But as they had earlier in the day, Wairoa again sprung a comeback with tries to Kyoni Te Amo and Jeffery Ismail, each converted by Phagen Winiata, to make it 21-14 midway during the second half.

While Wairoa dominated territory and possession for much of that half, Te Matau a Māui sealed the game with two late tries, to Hemi Waerea and Luke Russell, to claim the tournament’s Hikaia Amohia Trophy, thought to have been last won by a Hawke’s Bay side in 2007.

The playoff for third and fourth place went to a second five minutes of extra time before a 40-metre penalty gave Manawatū a 22-19 golden point victory.

With the Hawke’s Bay Magpies beating North Harbour in the opening round of the Bunnings NPC, the tournament was part of a busy weekend of representative rugby in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday.

At Park Island, Napier, Hawke’s Bay Development side the Saracens beat Heartland Championship side Poverty Bay 77-17, and Central Hawke’s Bay successfully defended sub-unions challenge trophy the Bebbington Shield with a 69-0 win over Northern Whanganui at Tikokino.

Fullback Jack Sherman scored two of Central’s 11 tries and kicked seven conversions, with the other tries going to Jeri Kavekai (3), Tauri Maniapoto Cheer, Jason Cutbush, Ryan Pauling, Jimmy Downs, Rashaan Kupa-Seumanu and Bryce Wind.

Hawke’s Bay hosts Te Matau a Māui next Saturday in Pōrangahau as both sides strive to expand opportunities for players and communities not involved at the higher levels.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues and personalities.