Two early tries from left centre Joe Nuku set the tone for Te Arawa as they took on the competition in the New Zealand Annual Maori Rugby League tournament on home turf.
Te Arawa looked hungry when they played Hauraki in their last game of day one, but they couldn't emulate that form throughout, finishing second in the waka section.
Coming off a win and a loss in their first two games against Raukawa and Te Rarawa respectively, they looked like a team desperate to win in front of a vocal crowd at Puketawhero Park.
The first 10 minutes of the match against Hauraki - which they won 30-12 - was dominated by defence as both teams tried to assert their dominance over the other in the early exchanges.
Te Arawa were finally able to break the deadlock 15 minutes in after strong defence by their backs saw the opposing winger bundled into touch 15m from the Hauraki tryline.
A slick backline move from the resulting scrum saw Nuku cross for his first try.
Te Arawa then scored their second try in the first set after that with a kick on the back of a strong run from forward Elijah Wilson-Haira.
A quick interchange of passing saw Te Arawa's right centre Mikahere Tepania cross for the team's second inside five minutes.
After a period where neither team was able to complete their sets, the Rotorua team found themselves on the attack and a cross-field kick from stand off Mahi Parata was claimed by Nuku for a try to end the first half's scoring.
Te Arawa went into the break with a deserving 12-0 lead after the team were unable to convert their three tries.
Hauraki burst out of the blocks in the second half after a turnover by Te Arawa from a 20m restart gave them a prime attacking opportunity.
Te Arawa were caught short on their left edge when a long pass missed the intended target sucking in their defence and bounced to an unmarked centre who fed his winger Quentin Aripo to open Hauraki's account.
This sparked Te Arawa back to life as stand off Parata was able to cross under the posts after his hooker, Pirikawana Taiatini made a sniping run from dummy half and drew in the Hauraki defence and offloaded to Parata.
Te Arawa were to have the last say as a bomb 20m out from Hauraki's line ended up in the hands of goal kicker, Taiatini, who was able to crash over for the try.
The try was controversial as the Hauraki fullback and a Te Arawa chaser collided before the ball came down, effectively taking out the fullback, but the referee ruled it to be incidental and awarded the try after consulting with his assistant.
The result was already settled by this stage as the referee blew the final whistle after the conversion was successful much to the jubilation of the sizeable local crowd.
Te Arawa 30 (Joe Nuku 2, Mikahere Tepania, Mahi Parata, Morgan King, Pirikawana tries, Taiatini try, 3 con) Hauraki 12 (Quentin Aripo, Tane Rapira tries, Michael Te Moananui 2 con).
Full results in The Daily Post, Tuesday, 24 October, 2011