League: Te Arawa tumble to defeat

Te Arawa couldn't overcome a slow start in their round robin match against eventual winners Te Rarawa at this year's New Zealand Maori Rugby League Nationals.

Right from the challenge of the haka, Te Rarawa showed they were able to outlast the hosts in their head-to-head clash, toppling Te Arawa 38-10, on Puketawhero Park at the weekend.

The Hokianga-based team's haka was twice as long as their hosts and, like the challenge, the visitors appeared to have a lot more aggression scoring at almost a point a minute. Te Rarawa were 18-0 up with only 20 minutes gone on the clock.

It was a simple gameplan set down by Te Rarawa - use their big forwards Adam Davies and Naie Burke to pound their opponents into submission.

Te Rarawa coach and former Kiwi league forward Joe Vagana used it during his time as a giant prop who instilled fear every time he went charging up with the ball during his glory days.

Unfortunately for Te Arawa they had little answer to the onslaught and dropped off tackles, giving the visitors easy access to the gain line. Many of the home side did not lack commitment - it was more match fitness which appeared to be affecting them.

The visitors piled on five tries in the first half with fullback Drew Stevens showing his kicking ability by missing only two attempts for the entire match.

When the referee blew for halftime, Te Arawa limped to the team huddle looking like beaten men.

However, whatever was said at half time, it lifted the team and they were a different side from the first half performance.

Stand-off Pirikawana (Papa) Taiatini found his rhythm, as well as gaps in Te Rarawa's defensive line. Big Ivor Thomas finally got some momentum with Hamuera Hudson scoring the first of his side's two tries.

However, if Te Arawa were to make a comeback they would need to keep the visitors from scoring.

They could not and Stevens was in for his second try of the match and winger Chaz Brown was in straight after that to take his side to their final tally.

Big Joe Nuku, jumping between centre and the second row, scored his side's second try which was converted by Taiatini to end the match 38-10.

The three-day tournament which concluded yesterday hosted 20 teams, 600 players, 25 referees and hundreds of spectators as well as two Aussie-based iwi teams to add an international flavour to the event which has been running for the past 20 years.

Te Rarawa were back-to-back champions after they soundly beat Tuhoe in the final 40-0.