Dominant Moerewa win trophy

It was raining cats and dogs - and lollies - at the inaugural Wellsford Sevens Tournament as Moerewa claimed the specially carved Phillips/Neal trophy for the first time.
Despite the persistent rain, 12 teams from Northland, North Harbour and Auckland turned up at Wellsford Rugby Club on Saturday ready to play, and put on a thrilling show for the soggy but well-entertained spectators.
Moerewa were brimming with Northland training squad talent Troy Lobendahn, Brodie Marron, Saxon Samuels, Rhys Te Nana, Kadin Te Nana, and Nat Jull, and the side were dominant from the outset. Rhys Te Nana was later named player of the tournament after a dogged effort.
After coasting through pool play, Moerewa annihilated the Western Sharks 43-0 in the quarter-finals. Their running attack was too fast and too skillful for a lack-lustre Sharks.
Waitemata posed a tougher challenge for Moerewa in the semifinals. The top Auckland club kept the pressure on, with tournament team players Steve Tuigamala and Tai Valeni working hard, but the Northland side had the edge and got out to a 21-10 lead they hung on to until the final blower. Perhaps the big upset of the tournament was Port Albert claiming the other spot in the final, following their 31-14 quarter-final win over Otamatea, and a very narrow two-point victory over Marist.
Port Albert had some depth with Northland's Cam Goodhew and Kaitiana Vette-Welsh but were unable to fend off Moerewa's relentless attack and Moerewa stole the show, winning convincingly, 35-17.
It was a successful first tournament despite earlier concerns about the dismal weather, co-organiser Ross Neal said.
He said: "It was an awesome day and we got some really good feedback, especially from the teams who had to travel a fair way. Waitemata attend lots of sevens tournaments and their coach said this was one of the better ones so that is pleasing. We will definitely be running it again next year - we have the trophy now."
Keeping the tournament local, the trophy was a rugby ball carved by Mangawhai's Aaron Ellis-Smith, from 3971-year-old swamp Kauri.
There was a great turnout of support from the Wellsford community - from local business sponsorship to the many children there with their families for rugby, as well as the biggest lolly scramble in Northland, in which 100kg of sweets were dropped from a helicopter for the children.