Rugby: Hawkes Bay put one foot into playoffs

Sona Taumalolo. Photo / Getty Images

Hawke's Bay 32
Northland 13

Hawke's Bay will hold their breath for 24 hours after putting one foot through the Air NZ Cup rugby semifinal door with a 32-13 defeat of Northland.

However, their four-try success at Whangarei may be the last act of the season for the winners, who will pray Waikato can't produce a bonus point defeat of Auckland in Hamilton tomorrow night.

If they do, Waikato will claim fourth place because of the competition's rules regarding how to separate teams tied in the final standings. It is decided by who won the corresponding match between the sides during the season, in this case favouring Waikato's 30-22 defeat of Hawke's Bay in Hamilton last month.

Southland, who are level with Hawke's Bay on 41 points, are guaranteed to finish third as they beat both Hawke's Bay and Waikato this year.

New Ranfurly Shield holders Southland will travel to second-placed Wellington for one semifinal next weekend while Canterbury will host the other, against either Waikato or Hawke's Bay.

Tonight's result eliminates sixth-placed Auckland from contention, the 16-time champions hopes jolted when Southland upset Canterbury in last night's Shield boilover.

Hawke's Bay continued their bright end to the season -- they won six of their last seven games -- by scoring two tries in each half tonight.

They were more clinical than the hosts, crossing through wing Jason Kupa after just 90 seconds and prop Sona Taumalolo on the half hour.

Outstanding loose forwards Karl Lowe and Thomas Waldrom bagged the second-half tries, the latter coming with just nine minutes remaining, heaping pressure on Waikato to repeat the dose tomorrow.

The match ended on a fiery note, with Hawke's Bay reserve hooker Ash Dixon and Northland prop Karl Haitana were both shown yellow cards after a dust-up between the two packs.

It was another brave but fruitless performance from Northland, who ended the season with five successive losses and just three wins from 13 games.

They dominated first half possession, forcing the visitors into wealth of tackles but paid for turnovers and had just two penalties from fullback Lachie Munro to show when trailing 20-6 at the break.

Munro also had the final say, landing a sideline conversion of his own try on fulltime.

Northland's future in the Air NZ Cup elite is shaky, favoured to be one of the four sides who are demoted when the competition downsizes to 10 teams next year.

Large hoardings surrounding the half-built Okara Park made clear what locals think of their possible axing, stating simply "Stop the Drop!"

It may also be the final first class game for first five-eighth David Holwell, the gutsy veteran having ventured out of retirement for his team's last handful of matches this season.

Opposite number Matt Berquist kicked 12 points for Hawke's Bay tonight, giving him 156 for the season and moving him ahead of former competition pointscoring leader Mike Delany of Bay of Plenty, who compiled 149 before his All Blacks callup.

Hawke's Bay 32 (Jason Kupa, Sona Taumalolo, Karl Lowe, Thomas Waldrom tries; Matt Berquist 2 pen, 3 con) Northland 13 (Lachie Munro try; Munro 2 pen, con). Halftime: 20-6.


- NZPA