Two Hawke's Bay rugby teams will play in Hurricanes competition finals this weekend and a third is on the horizon.
Hawke's Bay's under-18s and under-20s will play their Wellington counterparts in the Palmerston North-hosted finals on Saturday and Hawke's Bay B remain in the hunt for an October 17 final after all three teams won at the weekend.
A second-half demolition job was the key to the Hawke's Bay B team's 59-20 walloping of Taranaki B in the McLean Park curtain raiser on Saturday. After trailing 15-14 at halftime the hosts scored 12 points during the first five minutes after the spell and were always in command.
Frontrowers Tyler Ashworth, Jodi Allen, Rhys O'Leary, Shae Tamati and Eugene Gerrard provided plenty of go-forward ball. Centre Sam Giddens made the most of his opportunities on attack and finished the match with 28 points from five penalties, four conversions and a try.
Winger Leafi Tupuola, who will start a three-month trial with the Penrith NRL club in November, was a powerful figure for the Bay under-20s in their 29-8 win against Taranaki at Park Island. Centre Gillies Kaka and Star Timu, in his first game at first five-eighth for the side, were others to impress in the winning backline.
Porangahau lock Matt Brown, flanker Lloyd Foote - aside from a stint in the sinbin - and hooker Beau Gibson were industrious in the Bay pack.
Hawke's Bay under-18 coach John Bird described his side's 52-20 win against Manawatu in Palmerston North as "admirable."
"We had a tough time in terms of the penalty count including two yellow cards, the first in my time coaching Bay teams, but the boys can be proud of their composed and structured effort," said Bird.
His son and lock Dominic Bird, in his first outing after returning from the United Kingdom, was prominent in the pack and combined well with hooker Josh Te Whata-Colley at lineout time. Wingers Ashton Tuck, who scored three tries, and Mark Te Whaiti, who scored two, were thirsty for work and benefited from the classy service provided by midfielders Zac Wadley-Te Rure and Billy Ropiha.
Lock Sam Gammie, blindside flanker Ben Hamelink and No 8 Gareth Evans had high workrates in the winning pack while halfback Brad Weber and first five-eighth Ihaia West again directed their backline well.
RUGBY: Bay juniors in finals after weekend of wallopings
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