U19 tournament Day 3 round-up

Above: The DJ Graham Player of the Tournament was awarded to Auckland A flanker Sione Talitui. Having debuted for the Auckland NPC team earlier this season he showed is experience and physicality throughout the tournament.

Auckland and Counties Manukau have claimed the silverware at the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 tournament after an action-packed week of competition.

In the premiership division, Auckland A turned the tables on defending champions Waikato with a 30-17 victory to claim the Graham Mourie Cup after falling just short in 2016.

The outside backs for Auckland proved difficult to stop with Tanielu Tele’a (2), Siave Togoiu and Caleb Clarke crossing for tries and second five-eighths Harry Plummer adding the extras.

Plummer finished the tournament as top point scorers with 60 points in three matches.

It is Auckland’s first title in four years of the tournament.

Counties Manukau claimed the Sir Michael Jones Trophy with a tense 33-31 victory over Southland.

The defending champions had a 14-5 lead at the halftime break and had to hold off a spirited Southland to claim the championship title.

It was their third title in as many years.

This year's tournament has been sponsored by Mitre 10 who support New Zealand's domestic competitions including Mitre 10 Cup, the Heartland Championship, and the Farah Palmer Cup.

Saturday's action brought the curtain down on three days of play at Owen Delany Park in Taupo which saw almost 400 of New Zealand’s most promising rugby players come together to compete in the annual Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament.

Results Day 3

Graham Mourie Cup Final
Auckland 30 – Waikato 17

3rd/4th
North Harbour 24 Canterbury 17

5th/6th
Bay of Plenty 74 – Tasman 10

7th/8th
Wellington 24 – Manawatu 20

Sir Michael Jones Trophy Final
Counties Manukau 33 Southland 31

11th/12th
Hawkes Bay 26 Heartland 16

13th/14th
Otago 36 Taranaki 31

15th/16th
Northland 27 Auckland Development 19

Top Point Scorers
60 Harry Plummer, Auckland
49 Kaleb Trask, Bay of Plenty
39 Jack Bergin, North Harbour
36 Ciarahn Matoe, Taranaki
36 George Witana, Otago

Top Try Scorers
4 Ajay Mua, Bay of Plenty
4 Jaya More, Southland
3 Jarryd Broughton, Bay of Plenty
3 Santana Marshall-Baker, Auckland Development
3Jack McHugh, Otago
3 Tanielu Tele’a, Auckland
3 Siave Togoiu, Auckland
3 Viliami Tosi, Southland
3 Nathan Vaatausili, North Harbour