Lock Marcus Donovan and loosies Aaron McPhee and Hamish Willis were inspirational in the visiting pack. Taradale manager Paul Atkins pointed out his troops need to beat Napier Technical this weekend to secure a home semifinal.
Captain and No 8 Andrew Gardner and blindside flanker Angelo Mufana were prominent in the Taradale pack and winger Leafi Tupuola was a key weapon in the backline.
It was a niggly affair with one Pirate red-carded, another two yellow-carded and three Taradale players sinbinned.
NOBM 17 Hastings 10
Like the miserable weather conditions, Napier Old Boys Marist dampened Hastings Rugby and Sports 21st birthday celebrations with this Elwood Park victory.
Both teams must be applauded for the manner in which they put the conditions aside and attempted to play open rugby. Regular openside flanker Chris Johnston produced a player-of-the-match performance at No 8 for unbeaten HBI Insurances Napier Old Boys Marist.
Lock Tom Bywater was also tireless at the coalface and halfback Zac Donaldson and winger-fullback Liam Edwards were enterprising visiting backs.
Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports coach Aaron Bartlett was proud of the way his team improved on the 66-28 loss to NOBM during the Nash Cup round. He admitted a couple of tap penalties should not have been taken.
Prop Jason Long, second five-eighth Neria Fomai and loosie Warwick Slingsby were key architects as the hosts secured what could prove to be a valuable bonus point.
Tech 25 Clive 22
A 40m penalty from utility back Dylan Ramsay with five minutes remaining gave Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical this Farndon Park victory.
His team trailed 22-10 at halftime but produced a superior second half effort. Powerful No 8 Levi Guildford, lock Guy Morris and second five-eighth Nathan Ramsay were key engineers of the comeback.
K9 Petfoods Clive head coach Blair Cross said it was an entertaining encounter and Tech did well to hold his troops out during the final four minutes.
Lock Ben Taylor, second five-eighth Jesse Tuhua and halfback Sam Wong were the pick of the riversiders.
Havelock 73 Tamatea 12
In his second start of the season, Progressive Meats Havelock North pivot Ethan Bradey scored 28 points in this Anderson Park walloping.
Bradey scored two tries and converted eight of the villagers' 11 tries as the hosts kept their semifinal hopes alive with their best performance of the Maddison segment of the season. Tamatea were competitive in patches during the first half and trailed 21-12 at the interval.
However in the second half they couldn't combat the razzle dazzle produced by Bradey and his fellow backs with former Magpies winger Mikey Vuicakau the main beneficiary with a hat-trick. Prop Emmanuel Maui and the Lamborn brothers, Sam and Tony, provided the perfect platform with their set piece and defensive work. Promising winger Ethan Prichard was also busy for the hosts as they gave outside back Shannan Chase a winning 50th appearance. Prop Te Maangi Hamlin, No 8 Hamiora Rowlands and halfback Wayne Nikora were Tamatea's best.
Central 18 MAC 15
MAC manager Narley Tuliau had every right to heap kudos on his revamped side after this Flaxmere Park defeat.
"Seven of our players were in Hamilton at a church conference so six frontrowers were in our starting forward pack. Regular frontrowers Mason Kean and Tere Joel were our locks," Tuliau explained.
Northfuels Central led 18-3 with 10 minutes remaining and allowed MAC to battle back as they pushed for a bonus point try and the match loosened. MAC scored two length-of-the-field tries during this period.
Central midfielders Cole Eru and Tomo Fogarty along with winger Kody Lancaster often splintered the MAC defence. Blindside flanker Minga Mikaele, veteran No 8 John Te Ngaio and Kean were tireless workers in the host pack.
Mikaele and halfback Colin Hokianga were playing their 50th games for the team.
