AMBUSHED: Waikato halfback Brad Weber (No 9) closes in for a tackle on Magpies counterpart Chris Eaton playing his 100th game in Napier. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
AMBUSHED: Waikato halfback Brad Weber (No 9) closes in for a tackle on Magpies counterpart Chris Eaton playing his 100th game in Napier. PHOTO/Duncan Brown
Hawke's Bay age-group product Brad Weber scored three tries as Waikato ended Hawke's Bay's latest Ranfurly Shield tenure with a 36-30 win at McLean Park, Napier, tonight.
The Waikato captain and All Black halfback scored all three in the second half. Waikato's victory ruined the Bay's hopes of becoming thefirst team since 2005 to complete an unbeaten season with the log o wood. It wasn't the result Magpies halfback Chris Eaton deserved in his 100th first class outing for the hosts.
Waikato deserved their 17-15 halftime lead. The Magpies conceded too many penalties in the first half, rushed things when they shouldn't have particularly when winger Zac Guildford was in the sinbin for a dangerous tackle and their ball security was poor.
The Magpies deserve praise for their late comeback from a 36-18 deficit with nine minutes remaining.
The two late bonus points they secured could prove crucial when the home final is decided. Scorers: Hawke's Bay 30 (Ash Dixon, Brendon O'Connor 2, Lewis Marshall tries; Ihaia West 2 pens, 2 cons) Waikato 36 (Brad Weber 3, Anton Lienert-Brown, Josh Hohneck tries; Damian McKenzie 4 cons, pen). HT: Waikato 17-15.
