The match was a repeat of last year's final which Manurewa lost after 20 minutes of extra-time, and, after losing to the Fillies in regular season, their best chance of victory against a team stacked with Black Ferns was to start with control and aggression and they did that better than perhaps they could have hoped.
Taking the field after Ponsonby's premier men team kept their place at the top of the table with a 35-5 victory over Suburbs in the earlier game, and cheered on by a vociferous travelling support, Manurewa made their intentions clear from the start.
They hurt Ponsonby with their straight running and crash tackling and were expertly steered around the field by first-five Hazel Tubic, who was superb in partnership with fellow Black Fern, halfback Arihiana Marino- Tauhinu. They had the upper hand in the set piece too which allowed their impressive midfield of Arakua and Kere Matua to make good inroads.
Manurewa were on the board after seven minutes following an excellent run by L Tauhalaliku on the right wing. The movement was almost stopped by an excellent tackle by Ponsonby prop Mel Williams but the ball was recycled and Tubic found Leuta with a well-timed cut-out pass.
Such was Manurewa's dominance that Ponsonby didn't have the ball in the opposition's half until the 12th minute and even then it was fleeting.
The visitors were over again just before the half-hour mark with a try next to the posts by skipper Marino-Tauhinu, a movement sparked by an excellent run from halfway by lock Ana Mamea.
However, Manurewa's difficulties in the second half were perhaps foreshadowed by Tubic's re-start after halftime which failed to go 10m.
An incisive run off a tighthead scrum by second-five Matua was a rare second-half attacking highlight for Manurewa who played virtually the remainder of the match without the ball.
A converted Charmaine McMenamin try was a tangible reward for Ponsonby's dominance, with the No8, along with blindside flanker Eloise Blackwell, another Black Fern, increasingly influential as the
game tightened up. As Ponsonby's pack took control, their attacking weapons could finally start to shine and fullback Magali Harvey's pace began to trouble Manurewa.
Ponsonby had earlier spurned a kickable penalty but chose to take the points as the clock ticked down via second-five Sylvia Brunt in the knowledge that an unconverted try would effectively when them another championship.
It seemed likely they would given their late dominance, and particularly after Arakua departed to the sinbin.
But Manurewa somehow hung on. At the end, when a promising Ponsonby attack broke down and Manurewa secured the turnover and kicked the ball dead, about half the team celebrated with their arms in the air while the other half appeared almost in disbelief at what they had achieved.
Earlier, as both teams took the field to music blasting from a sideline speaker, the game announcer described it as the afternoon's "main event". It certainly was that.
Manurewa 14 (L Leuta, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu tries; Hazel Tubic 2 cons)
Ponsonby 10 (Charmaine McMenamin try; Sylvia Brunt con, pen)
Halftime: 14-0
