Sevens: Pirates go back to back

BACK TO BACK: Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports celebrate a second consecutive Hawke's Bay Sevens title in Waipukurau on Saturday night. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Put your hand up if you were surprised to see Jonathan Ruru strutting his stuff for Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports at the Hawke's Bay Sevens in Waipukurau on Saturday.

You weren't alone and this is understandable considering the former Magpie, who played for the All Black Sevens during the Dubai and Cape Town editions of the 2016-'17 World Sevens Series before Christmas is about to start his second season in Otago.

"The Pirate boys were asking me if I could make it and it just worked out well. Although I wasn't contracted with the All Black Sevens after last month's nationals I got invited to help them out at another camp which starts in Mount Maunganui tomorrow so I could play here on the way because I didn't have any pre-season commitments with my Pirate club down in Dunedin, Ruru, 24, explained.

The No 1 halfback for the Otago team which finished second in last year's Mitre 10 Cup Championship, Ruru, was prominent as the Pirate team won the Hawke's Bay tournament for the second consecutive year with a 17-7 win against 14-time champions Havelock North in the final. His option taking was superb and his defensive work top shelf.

"These Pirate boys have been working hard for a long time this summer. They were unable to go to the national club championships in Hamilton at Waitangi Weekend and this helps make up for that. To go back-to-back down here and win the title for a second time is pretty special. Hopefully it puts the boys back on track to get the Maddison Trophy back," he added referring to the most prestigious 15-a-side silverware in Hawke's Bay club rugby.

Napier Old Boys Marist started the tournament as the favourites after winning their inaugural invitation tournament in December and the New Zealand Marist tournament last month. However they were pipped 17-10 by Ruru and co in the semifinals.

Havelock North beat Napier Technical 10-5 in their semifinal. The Tech side produced their best finish for several seasons and proved why they recorded a top eight finish at the national club champs.

Havelock North deserve kudos for the manner in which they improved upon last year's 40-0 loss to Pirate in the final. They had enough possession and territory to win but they were unable to capitalise on this which was a tribute to Pirate's defensive work.

Ruru must be considered unlucky not to have won the men's player of the tournament prize. This was won by Havelock North's Tiaan Falcon for the second consecutive year.

Falcon, who played for the Hurricanes at the previous weekend's Brisbane Global Tens, had some classy patches throughout the day as he displayed the benefits of his two-month training stint with the Canes but he certainly wasn't as influential in the final as Ruru.

While Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports retained the Ian Baker Memorial Cup the Feilding Old Boys Oroua women retained the Jiangsu Jersey and completed a three-peat with their 29-7 win against Petone in the final and Petone won the Angus Cup Colts title for the fourth consecutive year with a 17-12 win against Hastings Rugby and Sports in their final.

The Feilding Old Boys Oroua side included two Hawke's Bay players Krysten Duffill and Rhiarna Ferris. For Duffill the three-peat was a belated birthday present and early wedding present.

She turned 25 on Friday and this weekend she will marry one of Hawke's Bay's top referees, Tipene Cottrell, who was also in action on Saturday. Duffill's teammate, former Black Fern and former Kiwi Fern Kristina Sue won the women's player of the tournament award.

Petone's Carlos Price won the colts player of the tournament award.