Counties Manukau and Manawatu win Natonal Sevens titles

The Counties Manukau (Men’s) and Manawatu (Women’s) teams wound up a whirlwind second day's play in Rotorua on Sunday by winning the 2016 National Sevens Cup titles.

Counties Manukau defeated North Harbour 54-14 in the Men’s Cup final and Manawatu overcame Wellington 26-19 in the Women’s Cup final.

Steelers playmaker Augustine Pulu won the Joe Tauiwi Trophy for being the Men’s Player of the Tournament and Kat Whata-Simpkins was awarded the Anna Richards Trophy as the Women’s tournament MVP.

Auckland beat Manawatu 19-14 to win the Men’s Plate Final, Northland defeated Hawke’s Bay 17-10 to claim the Men’s Bowl and Wanganui beat South Canterbury 14-12 to capture the Men’s Shield.

Waikato defeated Auckland 19-14 to win the Women’s Plate and Canterbury defeated Counties Manukau in the Women’s third-fourth playoff match.

Scroll down for full Day Two results.

Men’s Cup Summary

Counties Manukau are the National Sevens Champions for the first time in 21 years after a resounding 54-14 victory over North Harbour in the final at Rotorua International Stadium. 

The floodgates opened in the second-half when Counties scored five unanswered tries. The game appeared to heading for an exciting finish when North Harbour responded strongly after conceding the first two tries. Whria Meltzer and Joshua Rowland crossed and then Harbour were held up over the line. However Counties ran rampant in the second-half, their brutality at the breakdown and speed on the flanks was decisive. Counties tries were scored by Tavite Gadeisuva (3), Savelio Ropati (2), Alex Samoa, Liam Daniela and Joshua Van Leishout.

Wellington's tournament ended in the semi-finals. Mistakes at key times and some individual brilliance by North Harbour were the telling factors. Renata Roberts-Tenana scored two long range tries to propel North Harbour  ahead 14-0.

Jordon Simpson-Heft responded for Wellington who threatened to tie the game when they broke into the North Harbour 22. Unfortunately a fumble resulted in Whria Meltzer sprinting 85-meters. Max Person revived hopes with a try 30 seconds before fulltime, but Dylan Lam burst 60 metres from the following kick-off to settle the contest.

Counties easily accounted for Manawatu in the other Cup semi-final. Counties tries were scored by Augustine Pulu (2), Lolohea Loco, Joshua Van Leishout and Sione Molia.

All the quarter finals were decided by less than a converted try.

Wellington required extra-time to eliminate Auckland in their quarterfinal. Wellington attacked vigorously from the outset, but trailed 12-7 at halftime after New Zealand Sevens rep Rieko Ioane snaffled a loose ball on halfway.

Hayden Schrijvers scored two tries pushed Wellington ahead 19-12, but Auckland sent the game into extra time with a dramatic score. Ed Fidow regathered an awkward bounce from his own chip kick and off-loaded in one hand, while being tackled, to Rocky Khan.

In extra time Lote Raikabula, on halfway, offloaded in the grasp of three defenders to Jackson Garden-Bachop. Garden-Bachop drew the Auckland fullback and put Max Pearson under the posts for the winner. All four of Wellington's tries were scored by Upper Hutt Rams. Jordon Simpson-Heft scored earlier, pushing past a would-be defender and sprinting 60-meters.

Taranaki led Bay of Plenty 26-10 in the second-half, but lapsed discipline and a yellow card proved costly. Isaac Te Aute kicked a sideline conversion on the buzzer to propel the Steamers into the semis. Earlier the man of the match in the National Secondary Schools Top Four Final had scored a try. Jason Heatherly scored the winner for the hosts.

Counties led all the way and were relativity comfortable winners over Manawatu while the Waikato v North Harbour game was all square until Whria Meltzer produced a pass that Mandrake the Magician would have been proud off. On halfway, while being grabbed by the jersey, he pivoted and threw an unsighted reverse ball to Benjamin Smith.

Women's Cup Summary

For the third time in four years Manawatu are the National Sevens champions after beating Wellington 26-19 in the final. Black Fern Selica Winiata was an instrumental figure in the decider. She scored the first two tries and snatched a vital intercept when Wellington was on attack and only trailing 14-12. The intercept resulted in a try for Crystal Mayes. Kristina Sue had the last say for Manawatu when she burrowed over from a scrum.

Wellington's Kat Whata-Simpkins was named player of the tournament and she showed her prowess by scoring two tries, including one on the stroke of halftime where she had to wriggle her body in a Winiata tackle to force the ball.

Both sides enjoyed resounding semi-final wins. Wellington's try scorers against Canterbury were: Ayesha Leti'Liga (2), Kat Whata-Simpkins (2), Georgia Daals and Cassandra Engler while Michaela Blyde (2), Rebekah Tufuga and Selica Winiata crossed for tries in the Cylones' 24-0 win over Counties-Manukau.

2016 National Sevens Day Two Results:

Men's

Bowl Quarter-Finals
Northland 21-12 Otago
Canterbury 36-12 Wanganui
Mid Canterbury 7-31 Tasman
Hawke's Bay 38-12 South Canterbury

Cup Quarter-Finals
Auckland 19-24 Wellington (extra-time win)
Waikato 19-26 North Harbour
Counties Manukau 21-19 Manawatu
Taranaki 26-27 Bay of Plenty

Shield Semifinals (13th-16th)
Wanganui beat Otago
Mid Canterbury 7-29 South Canterbury

Bowl Semifinals (9th-12th)
Northland 14-12 Canterbury
Tasman 7-24 Hawke's Bay

Plate Semifinals (5th-8th)
Auckland 38-5 Waikato
Manawatu 33-26 Taranaki

Cup Semifinals (1st-4th)
Wellington 14-28 North Harbour
Counties Manukau 31-10 Bay of Plenty

Shield Final
Wanganui 14-12 South Canterbury

Bowl Final
Northland 17-10 Hawke's Bay

Plate Final
Auckland 19-14 Manawatu

Cup Final 
North Harbour 14-54 Counties Manukau

Women's

Cup Playoffs
Wellington 21-10 Auckland
Waikato 12-17 Manawatu (extra-time win)

Plate Playoffs
Otago 34-5 Wairarapa Bush
North Harbour 19-12 Tasman

Plate Semifinals
Auckland 36-17 North Harbour
Waikato 19-12 Otago

Cup Semifinals
Canterbury 7-33 Wellington
Counties Manukau 0-24 Manawatu

7th v 8th
North Harbour 10-26 Otago

9th v 10th (Bowl Final)
Wairarapa Bush 10-12 Tasman

3rd v 4th
Canterbury 5-31 Counties Manukau

5th v 6th (Plate Final)
Auckland 14-19 Waikato

Cup Final
Wellington 19-26 Manawatu