Rangataua, NOBM, Tawa win major club rugby finals

Above: Rangataua won their maiden Baywide club champinship title. Photo credit: Bay of Plenty Rugby

There were three major club rugby finals around New Zealand on Saturday, to bring the curtain down on another exciting season of rugby around the country.

Focus turns to the representative programmes, which are in full swing around the country now with plenty of National Provincial Championship pre-season fixtures and the opening round of Women’s NPC matches played on Saturday.

In club rugby finals, there were wins for Rangataua Sports in the Bay of Plenty, Napier Old Boys Marist in Hawke’s Bay and Tawa in Wellington.

Rangataua tipped over Mount Maunganui Sports 35-33 to claim their maiden Bay of Plenty Baywide title.

The former National Club Sevens champions Rangataua took a decisive 24-10 halftime lead, which they stretched to 35-26. However, Mount Maunganui rolled back into the game with a converted try to ensure a tense finish.

First round winners Napier Old Boys Marist sailed to a 41-8 win over Taradale in the final of the Hawke’s Bay Maddison Trophy competition. They led 16-3 at halftime. For NOBM, Migao Lauano and Eugene Gerrard both scored braces.

Tawa became the first side in history to drop their first three matches and go on to win Wellington’s coveted Jubilee Cup. They won six in a row. There was a tense finish at Jerry Collins Stadium as Marist St Pat’s came roaring back into the contest and finished the match probing Tawa’s try line, but Tawa held on to win 24-20 and claim their second championship title.

Rangataua Sports 35 (Alex Jessop, Timoti Gardiner, Julian Macleod, Teina Hika, Paranihi Lovett tries; Jessop 2 cons, pen) Mount Maunganui Sports 33 (Tamanui Hill 2, Pera Gibbs, Jonty Wood, brynn Uriarau tries; Gibbs 4 cons) HT: 24-14

Napier Old Boys Marist 41 (Migao Lauano 2, Eugene Gerrard 2, Sam Giddens, Jarvy Aoake tries; Sam Giddens 2 pens, dropped goal; Liam Edwards con) Taradale 8 (Ellery Tareha try; Gregor McNeish pen)HT: 16-3

Tawa 24 (Etuale Togia 2, Pepesana Patafilo, Peniasi Tokakece tries; Randall Bishop 2 con) Marist St Pats 20(Matt Peni 2 tries; Fa'atonu Fili 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 12-13.