Tawa, Wests and Norths take Open club Sevens titles

Tawa, Western Suburbs and Northern United took out the three trophies up for grabs at today’s WRFU Open Club Sevens tournament held at Evans Bay Park this afternoon.

Tawa won the Men’s Cup final, Wests the Colts final and Norths the Women’s final in the tournament played in warm, sunny conditions on the main field and on the adjacent St Pat’s artificial field.

Defending Wellington club Men’s champions Tawa were pushed all the way in both their semi-final and final, edging out a well-drilled Upper Hutt 1 team 7-5 in the Cup semi-final and then recovering from a man down in the sin-bin to defeat an impressive Poneke 19-10 in the final after leading just 7-0 at halftime and Poneke in the ascendancy.

After a difficult week off the field, Western Suburbs ran away to beat the Junior Wellington Axemen 38-18 in the Colts division final. Fielding a team featuring Wellington College stars Wesley Goosen, Leni Apasai? and Nelson Asofa-Solomona and others, Wests were strong all afternoon.

The Wests Men’s team also made the Men’s Plate final, losing to Avalon 17-15 in a thriller. Wests led 15-10 deep into the match, but a neat solo try and conversion in front of the posts with the last act of the match gave Avalon victory.

The Northern United Women’s team overcame Wainuiomata 25-12? in the Women’s final.

The second of two WRFU Sevens tournaments, the American Ambassador’s tournament, is being held in a fortnight.

The Tawa and Poneke squad lists were:

Tawa: Joketani Koroi; Taniella Korori; Alfred Pelenise; Tui Camo; Dukai Coka; Jeff Makapelu; Callum Bryce; George Tilsely; Timoci Serawalu; Randall Bishop; Sam Blair; Ben Pehi.

Poneke: Greg Foe; Presley Tufaga; Nemani Waka; Faresa Tasele; Daryl Betham; Nick Grigg; James Solomon; Simon Tevita; Jared Curtis; Sam Tui; Michael Fifita

Results:

Pool Results

Men’s
Wests 22 - Johnsonville 17
Norths 31 - MSP 5
Avalon 26 -Poneke 19
Tawa 41 - Upper Hutt (1) 7
Tawa 22 - OBU 17
Wainuiomata 28 - Johnsonville 24
Upper Hutt (2) 36 - Norths 5
Ories 12 - Avalon 5
MSP 22 - Upper Hutt (2) 17
OBU 22 - Upper Hutt (1) 12
Correction: Poneke 33 - Ories 26

Wainuiomata 24? - Wests 19

Men’s Pool winners: Wainuiomata (Pool A); MSP (Pool B); Tawa (Pool C); Poneke (Pool D)

Colts
Wellington 38 - Poneke 0
Wests 29 - MSP 7
Upper Hutt 38 - Norths 0
Wests 28 - Wellington 24
Poneke 33 - Norths 21
MSP 22 - Upper Hutt 0
Wests 56 - Norths 5
Wellington 19 - Upper Hutt 19

Colts Pool winners: Wests (Pool E); Wellington (Pool F)

Women’s
Wainuiomata 38 - Poneke 0
Norths 32 - OBU 5
OBU 22 - Poneke 0
Norths 26 - Wainuiomata 12
Wainuiomata 33 - OBU 0
Norths 37 - Poneke 0

Women’s Pool winner Norths

Men’s Quarterfinals
Upper Hutt (2) 22 - Wainuiomata 21
Poneke 26 - Old Boys University 17
MSP beat Johnsonville (by 4 tries to 3)
Tawa 26 - Ories 5
Men’s Cup semi-finals
Tawa 7 - Upper Hutt (1)
Poneke 29 - MSP 17
Women’s semi-finals
Norths 22 - Poneke 5
Wainuiomata 27 v 5
Colts semi-finals
Wellington 15 - MSP 10
Wests 38 - Upper Hutt 17
Men’s Plate semi-finals
Wests beat Upper Hutt
Avalon 27 -? Upper Hutt (2) 7
Men’s Plate final
Avalon 17 - Wests 15? (HT: Wests 10-5)
Women’s final
Norths 25 - Wainuiomata? 12
Colts final
Wests 38 - Wellington 18 (HT: 21-5)

Cup final
Tawa 19 - Poneke 10

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