Plenty of speed at Pirates' tourney

Manawatu Varsity's Te Rau Wirihana looks to get away from Pirates' Dylan Ruki-Fowlie during their Colts game on Spriggens Park on Saturday.

Running rugby and tight scores were the order of the day at Spriggens Park on Saturday as Integrity Motors Pirates hosted the club's annual sevens tournament.

Eight senior teams were split into two pools with the visiting Manawatu Fijians looking strong favourites to retain their title from last year after they accounted for Pirates, Kaierau and Ratana in their grade.

However, a strong-looking Taihape outfit emerged unbeaten from Pool B against opposition from Marton Samoa, Marist and Border.

Marton Samoa would upset the Fijians in one semifinal, while Taihape would leave it to the last minute to beat Pirates with a try right on the fulltime siren in the other.

Guided by Heartland representative Tom Wells and having speed from the likes of Development XV player Jaye Flaws, Taihape went on to win the title with a golden point try after being tied with Marton Samoa on fulltime of the final.

Pirates chairman Nga Apai said it was very interesting watching the country team perform, given Pirates will meet them in the first round of the Premier club season, as it was obvious a number of Taihape players had bulked up over summer.

The hard, sun-baked Spriggens Park and Wanganui Racecourse fields also left their mark on a number of competitors, with two Marton Samoa players including Heartland representative Lote Tauailoto being taken to hospital after heavy knocks.

There were five teams contesting the Colts grade Pirates, Manawatu Fijians, Ashurst RFC, Wanganui Counties and Manawatu Varsity.

Varsity and Ashurst eventually reached the final, with the university team likewise winning in golden point after the scores with deadlocked 12-12 at fulltime.

The Varsity team was predominantly Palmerston North Boys High School alumni joined by Sam Malcolm and Scott Bowater members of last year's successful Wanganui High School 1st XV.