Rugby: Otamatea fight back to win

Otamatea second-five Lincoln Phillips is the filling in a two-on-one Old Boys Marist tackle.

Dan Hawkins' boot has kept Otamatea's play-off hopes afloat, that's if the Kaiwaka-based side doesn't default this weekend after the death of their clubmate.

Hawkins scored an intercept try and kicked a penalty with three minutes remaining as his side came back from being 22 points down, with 20 minutes remaining, to beat Old Boys Marist 34-32 at Kensington.

Unbeknown to the Otamatea players and supporters on Saturday, however, as the rescue helicopter took off from across Kensington Park it was rushing their clubmate to Auckland Hospital.

In the Bayleys Southern Districts Premier Reserve Competition match earlier, Otamatea player Jordan Kemp sustained a suspected brain bleed which resulted in the game being called off early.

While worried for their clubmate, Otamatea premier coach Dean Kenny had no idea until after the game to the serious nature of Kemp's injury.

"We had a good win but the gloss was taken off with Jordan Kemp being taken off and induced into a coma.

"We were down 32-10 and things were looking grim and we ended up coming back and winning, but to end up getting the news that poor Jordan is getting sent down to Auckland Hospital wasn't good," Kenny said.

"It has been a bit of a roller coaster of emotion."

Not helping Kenny's roller coaster of emotion was a dominant Old Boys Marist who played good rugby for 60-odd minutes, only to fall asleep in the final stages and let their lead dwindle away.

The turning point for Otamatea was a Hawkins' intercept try which swung the momentum their way, despite Old Boys Marist's attempts to run the clock down.

In other premier grade matches, Wellsford disposed of Kamo 35-12 while defending champions Mid Northern kept their play-off hopes alive with a 34-22 win over Waipu.

Meanwhile Hora Hora secured the minor premiership with a 54-17 win over Hikurangi and Mid Western made sure of their semi final spot with a 45-12 win over the Western Sharks.

Otamatea's win means they currently sit fourth, just ahead of Mid Northern, but potentially could face Hora Hora - that's if Kenny and Kemp's family deem it appropriate to play on Saturday.

"If it means us having to call a game off then it's just a game of footy."

Southern Districts Premier Grade
Wellsford 35 Kamo 12
Otamatea 34 Old Boys Marist 32
Mid Northern 34 Waipu 22
Hora Hora 54 Hikurangi 17
Mid Western 45 Western Sharks 12
Southern Districts Premier Reserve Grade
Wellsford 11 Kamo 12
Otamatea 14 Old Boys Marist 52
Mid Northern 63 Waipu 3
Hora Hora 28 Hikurangi 17
Mid Western 12 Western Sharks 12