Triumphant Taradale captain Namatahi Waa, the Nash Cup, and god-daughter Gwendoline Taniwha-Pohe. Photo / Warren Buckland
It was the outcome almost no one saw coming as Taradale hammered pre-match favourites Hastings Rugby and Sports 46-19 to win Hawke's Bay Premier rugby first-round prize, the Nash Cup, on Saturday.
Having conceded competition final home-ground advantage in a 25-15 loss to Hastings in a pool crossover match in Taradale a fortnight earlier, the maroons looked a completely different unit as they blasted the hosts off Elwood Park, Hastings, from the start, with three of Taradale's seven tries coming in the first quarter before Hastings had a point on the board.
The closest Hastings got thereafter was 10 points, it was 24-14 at halftime, and Taradale roared home with four tries in the last half-hour to get their name engraved on the cup for the 13th time, and the fourth in the last seven seasons.
With the Cup not having been contested last winter, Taradale were successfully defending a title they won in 2019.
Taradale fans travelled in the hope their team was coming back into form but confessed they'd never thought it could be a win by 27 points
In distinct contrast to the losing performance of April 24, Taradale used a wealth of clean set-piece possession well, with the ball off the top of the lineout from lock Ben Freschini among the features of delivery to halfback Karl Hewitt.
The backs then shifted the ball well, with particular benefit to second five-eighths Kienan Higgins, who scored three of the tries in what was an outstanding individual performance ahead of a trial with the Magpies against Waikato on Wednesday in his first season in Hawke's Bay.
Taradale's other tries were scored by left wing Majella Tufuga, flanker Nathan Tweedy, No 8 Iakopo Mapu, and centre Hemaua Samasoni.
Hastings scored three tries, the last a consolation effort in the last few minutes, but were left rueing numerous opportunities lost as they struggled to control the ball.
While Taradale had been short of full strength earlier in the season, on Saturday Hastings were missing three Magpies in versatile forward Jacob Devery and backline stars Danny Toala and Mason Emerson and waved goodbye to a winning streak of 14 games dating back to early last season.
Halfback Connor McLeod and Jordan Thompson-Dunn at first five-eighths did well under a lot of pressure, and featured on the scoresheet, with McLeod converting two tries, one of which was scored by the man immediately outside. McLeod topped the Nash Cup scoring for the season with 48 points, while Higgins' try gave him 6 for the season, top-equal with MAC's John Ika.
Winning captain and Hawke's Bay Magpies prop Namatahi Waa said his side hadn't been at full strength in the previous match between the two sides and had learned from that game, enough to believe they were in with a show, having excelled in the last 15 minutes back then.
"We backed our fitness, and that helped us create the opportunities," he said. "All season we've had this Achilles heel where our offloads didn't stick. Today they stuck."
Premier aspirants Maraenui ended a long wait for some silverware when they beat Napier Old Boys Marist's second XV 22-18 in the Town and Country Town pool final at Maraenui Park, Napier.
Robbed of a promotion opportunity in 2007, despite an unbeaten Division 2 record, Maraenui have battled in the lower grade for more than 15 years and in more recent times were beaten in the 2019 Division 2 final, and by OBM in last year's Reserve/Division 2 combined competition final.
In Dannevirke, home team Aotea beat Central Hawke's Bay club Otane 31-18 in the Country pool final.
Taradale start their Maddison Trophy bid against MAC in Flaxmere on Saturday, while Hastings have a home match against Waipukurau club Central, the start of a seven-week campaign to get into the championship semifinals and a chance to retain the major Premier prize, the Maddison Trophy, they won with a 22-16 victory over Taradale last year.
Other Premier matches have Napier Tech OB at home against Clive and Napier OBM have a home match against Hastings club Tamatea.
The new Division 1, effectively a Premier 2 grade, has a crucial opening day match between Maraenui and Napier Pirate, who have just been relegated and along with Maraenui will be hoping to regain Premier status for the Nash Cup for next season.
Second relegated side Havelock North face Taradale's second XV, OBM's second team play Otane, and Aotea have a home game against Napier Tech OB's second team.
Results of Hawke's Bay Club rugby matches on Saturday:
Premier
Nash Cup final – Taradale 46 (Kienan Higgins 3, Majella Tufuga, Nathan Tweedy, Iakopo Mapu, Hemaua Samasoni tries; Brad Truesdale pen, 3 con; Cam Robinson con) beat Hastings Rugby & Sports 19 (Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Luke Rosavali, Johnny Saifiti tries; Connor McLeod 2 con). Halftime: 24-14.
Town and Country
Town final – Maraenui 22 (Braxton Robinson, Moanaroa Te Whaiti, Boy Pohutukawa tries; Wiremu Manuel pen, 2 con) Napier Old Boys Marist 18 (Andries Lindeque, Sami Lauano tries; Adam Chapman 2 pen, con). Halftime: 17-7.
Country final – Aotea 31 Otane 18.
Division 2
Hastings R&S 29 Central 27, MAC 30 Napier Pirate 12, Havelock North 41 Eskview 10, Porangahau 34 Bridge Pa 34, Waipawa Country United beat Clive by default.
Division 3
Clive 20 Flaxmere 19, Taradale 22 Havelock North 6, MAC 7 Maraenui 5, Napier OBM a bye.
Colts
Taradale 47 Napier Tech OB 26, Aotea 15 Napier Pirate 7, Central 32 Clive 19, Hastings R&S 32 Onga-Tiko 22.
Women
Napier Tech OB 44 Taradale 21, Clive 31 Hastings 7.