Entering the final minute against Horowhenua-Kapiti, Whanganui looked out of it, yet rallied on the back of some magic from Samu Kubunavanua to score three tries, coming from Patrick Hiscox.
"That was a miracle, from down that much," Wells said.
The team also found themselves behind with Wairarapa Bush before recovering to regain the lead and ensure they finished in the top two of their pool.
"That's sevens, I suppose, if you're not on your game for 14 minutes, you will be behind," said Wells.
The team approached the semifinals with confidence, especially after they gave Wellington a good run before being beaten 26-17, while their opponent Hawke's Bay had, like them, made the top four after missing out last year.
Whanganui dominated territory in the first half, with Kubunavanua showing good covering tackles to prevent Hawke's Bay from breaking out of their half.
Timoci Serawalu committed defenders to him but could not link for one final pass, while Pene Ulukuta, Dane Whale and Tyler Rogers-Holden probed unsuccessfully for a gap.
Entering the last minute of the half with no score, Hawke's Bay finally broke out and then worked forward off a series of penalties for professional fouls, the last of which saw a Whanganui player sinbinned, as they scored in the corner for 7-0 at the break.
Hawke's Bay then rammed home their advantage with another try from a tap penalty just after halftime.
Whanganui had a chance to break out going wide through Tremaine Gilbert but his inside ball was too low for Kubunavanua to grasp, and then Hawke's Bay ran through the gap to seal a 19-0 win.
"First half versus the Bay was the best we played," said Wells
That put Whanganui into the playoff for third/fourth, again with Wellington, but this time the capital team turned it on for a 46-7 thrashing.
Wellington put pressure on the kickoffs and used the width of the field, putting the ball through the hands in an excellent passing display, leading 19-0 after five minutes.
Whanganui hit back when Kubunavanua dashed away from a clean lineout take to run all the way to the other end, but Wellington worked forward from the penalties and let the ball do the work through the hands to score twice more for 31-7.
Out of it, Whanganui tried to manufacture a break from their own half, but Wellington kept coming with some big cross-field passes and then attacking in the corners, getting three more tries.
"If you can compete with them 50 per cent of the time, that would be right," said Wells.
"I'm reasonably happy, and it's left us with a lot to look at."
He praised Kubunavanua for a great tournament, while the playmakers Whale and Rogers-Holden were workhorses whose fitness levels were the strongest in the team.
As a result of their efforts, Wanganui have been seeded 11th of the 16 unions who have qualified for Rotorua in January.
Wells said after picking players on ability and having to deal with a lack of numbers, he will now reassess to try and build a stronger squad.
"If they don't commit, they'll miss out on the big prize, which is a trip to the nationals.
"It's a clean slate and if you don't put the work in, you're not going on the bus."
