Rugby: Bay of Plenty drive through rain to win

Bay of Plenty 19 Hawkes Bay 8

Bay of Plenty played superb wet-weather rugby to beat NPC second division leaders Hawkes Bay by 11 points.

In atrocious conditions, with torrential rain falling throughout the game, Bay of Plenty's forward pack steamrolled Hawkes Bay and were unrelenting in all facets to control the match.

Bay of Plenty led 10-8 at halftime after playing into driving rain and strong wind.

They continued their no-frills style after the break to deny Hawkes Bay, despite the visitors enjoying many periods on attack.

The visitors' young forward pack struggled in the wet against a bigger and more experienced Bay of Plenty unit, which was led superbly by Auckland loan player Jason Chandler, lock Thompson Tapsell and captain Clayton McMillan off the rear of the scrum.

Zimbabwean import Antony Papenfus scored his side's first points with a penalty in the third minute but that was the first five-eighth's only success of the day from five attempts.

Bay of Plenty goalkickers Paul Waiariki and Samoan international Toa Samania, on as a wing replacement in the second half, kicked five of their six attempts.

Papenfus set up Hawkes Bay's try in the 24th minute when he burst through weak defence around the ruck, offloading to hard-working flanker Michael Johnson, who put speedster Karl Mudzamba clear for his fifth NPC try in three games.

Bay of Plenty's reply was swift, coming three minutes later.

Flanker Craig De Goldi turned over Hawkes Bay ball on halfway, with outstanding halfback Chris Le Lievre dashing on the blindside to put wing Keith Pryor over the tryline.

Conditions made handling difficult while the expected battle between two talented backlines fizzled in the wet.

Hawkes Bay's best out wide was centre Murdoch Paewai.

Bay of Plenty backs Le Lievre and first-five Elisi Vunapola ensured the forwards were never far from the action.

- NZPA