Sevens: Grand final mired by personnel questions

Napier Old Boys Marist kingpin Joseph Penitito, left, fends off Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports opponent Matt Murtha during his team's 12-10 A grade quarter-final loss at the Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau on Saturday. Photo/Glenn Taylor

Seconds into the A-grade senior men's final at the Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau on Saturday, Hastings Rugby and Sports manager James Haronga made a hasty dash upstairs to the control table at Central Park.

Haronga wanted to make sure his team's opponents, Wellington-based West Roosters, had done the necessary paperwork to play Hawke's Bay Magpies winger Mikey Vuicakau who had been playing for Havelock North A earlier in the day. Although Roosters management had named Vuicakau as Ron instead of Mikey, tournament officials were happy and, while Haronga had every right to question the selection, it didn't matter by the time the final whistle sounded.

Hastings Rugby and Sports won a second consecutive Ian Baker Memorial Cup title, with an emphatic 26-5 victory.

"I'm proud of the boys. We place a huge emphasis on Sevens and to win two years in a row down here against quality opposition is awesome," Hastings coach Jeff Karika said after his troops collected the cup and $1500 cheque.

He agreed the Roosters replacing of injured All Black Sevens legend Tomasi Cama with Vuicakau was a distraction. As was the fact the Roosters first tryscorer, a No15 player, wasn't on their official team list.

"We kept an eye on them throughout the day and they were chopping and changing players and numbers," Karika said.

Hastings Rugby and Sports led 7-5 at halftime, but dominated the second half. Halfback Adam Ross impressed with his option taking on attack and high defensive work rate.

Winger Timo Vaiusu made the most of his opportunities on attack and deserved his two tries in the final. Api Sione and New Zealand Marist Sevens representative Neria Fomai scored the others and speedster Johnny Bristol added three conversions.

Fomai, who played for Samoa on the World Series circuit last year, travelled to Samoa yesterday with the New Zealand Marist side, which also included the Napier Old Boys Marist pair of Joseph Penitito and Sam Weber. Vuicakau was dangerous with the limited opportunities he received in the final.

Although Cama, 33, was far from his best, as was the case at the previous weekend's Wellington leg of the World Series, throughout Saturday's play his organisational skills were missed in the final.

The China Barbarians senior men's side failed to match the title-winning feat of the Jiangsu Sports Bureau women's team, who won the women's title last year. The Barbarians reached the B-grade section semifinals, where they lost 28-17 to eventual winners and tournament newcomers Brothers 7s.

A Samoan church-based side, Brothers 7s was a combination of Napier Old Boys Marist and Napier Technical players, spearheaded by the Lauano brothers, Migao and Johnny, and Asa Ene. Brothers 7s beat Feilding Old Boys Oroua 19-15 in an entertaining final.

Napier Technical's former Hawke's Bay under-20s representative, Tamati Samuels, won the senior men's player-of-the-tournament award at the 31st annual event.

His team was pipped 24-19 by Roosters in the quarterfinals.

This was Samuels final outing in the Bay as he is transferring to Wellington to continue his partnership with former Tech halfback and fellow Gisborne Boys' High School product Sheridan Rangihuna.

Wellington-based Avalon proved too classy for Havelock North and recorded a 29-10 win in the women's final.

A member of the third-placed Kia Toa side from Palmerston North, Kendall Templeman took home the women's player-of-the-tournament award.

Another Wellington-based side, Petone, walloped MAC 43-7 in the colts A-grade final. Hawke's Bay's sole 2013 New Zealand Secondary Schools representative, Sam McNicol, who is now Wellington-based, was outstanding for Petone. However, one of his teammates, Mike Tuipulotu, travelled home with the colts player-of-the-day award.