Wellington men runners-up, women Plate winners at National Sevens tournament

Sevens Rugby | 18 January 2015 | Steven White

For sheer competitiveness and unpredictability, these provincial Sevens tournaments keep getting better.

On Saturday in pool play, Wellington defeated Waikato 35-5 easing up; this afternoon Waikato scorched clear of the defending champions Wellington to beat them 38-19 in the Cup final of the National Sevens tournament in Rotorua.

Waikato came back from a 0-12 deficit late in the first half to score two converted tries and lead 14-12 at the break, before scoring two more quick tries to double their lead. Despite a third try to Wellington engineered by super-subs Vaea Fifita and Belgium Tuatagaloa, Wellington couldn’t effect a comeback of their own.

After topping their pool on day one – with Waikato qualifying second in the same pool – Wellington went into the final as the only unbeaten team of the tournament. Earlier today Wellington had beaten Otago 24-17 and Counties Manuaku 14-7. Round-ups of Wellington’s three matches today are below.?

New champions Waikato had defeated Auckland 28-14 and then Bay of Plenty 33-0. Waikato’s Luke Masirewa, who scored two key tries in the final, was the Player of the Tournament.?

Meanwhile pre-tournament men’s favourites Auckland and Canterbury blew out the back door on day two. Canterbury in particular had a horror show; just pipping cousins Mid Canterbury with an extra time try to claim the Shield. Scores were locked 19-19 at fulltime. Auckland missed out to Northland 7-27 at the Plate semi-finals stage.?

The men’s Bowl final also went to extra time, with North Harbour’s Luke Hamilton scoring the winning golden point try against Manawatu after scores were deadlocked 21-21 at fulltime.

Taranaki beat Northland to win the men’s Plate final.?

Pre-tournament favourites Auckland defeated defending champions Manawatu 24-7 in the Women’s Cup final. Speedster Kayla McAlister was the women’s Player of the Tournament, scoring 12 tries.?

After losing three of their four games on Saturday, the Wellington women’s side enjoyed a fruitful second day, winning all their three matches and taking out the Plate title.

The Wellington Women defeated Southland 31-5 to progress to the Plate semi-finals. They then beat South Island champions Canterbury 29-0 in the Plate semi-final and then Taranaki 24-14 with captain Kat Whata-Simpkins scoring a hat-trick.

Agnes Dean and Whata-Simpkins scored first half tries to put Wellington ahead 12-7 at halftime. Whata-Simpkins scored her second and third tries to see Wellington skip out to 24-7, before Taranaki’s Gayle Broughton scored at the end to narrow the final score.?

Wellington came back to win their Cup quarterfinal comfortably in the end, laying on 24 unanswered points in the first six minutes of the second half.?

Otago led 12-0 at halftime, striking with two tries to captain Matt Faddes after a controversial sin-binning of Sheridan Rangihuna who was ruled to have thrown the ball into touch.

Restored to their full complement, Wellington went desperately close to scoring just before halftime but Greg Foe was adjudged to have put his foot into touch.

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Needing to score first in the second half, Wellington surged up field and Belgium Tuatagaloa flew in to score under the posts, closing the deficit to 12-7.?

Otago made a handling error and Ambrose Curtis skated through to score for Wellington to make it 12-10.?

The Lions had their tails up, Wellington regaining possession from the kick-off and Greg Foe flying in to score, putting them ahead 19-12.

From the next re-start, Vaea Fifita burst through to score the match winner, extending the lead to 24-12.

Otago broke out and scored a consolation try at the end.?

Wellington again weathered first half pressure and conceded first points to the opposition in their semi-final against Counties Manukau, before scoring two tries and hanging on to win.?

A succession of penalties and key lineout turnovers by Wellington presented Counties Manukau with most of the possession throughout the first half. ?

Counties Manukau scored the opening try of the semi-final just before halftime, Jamie Gilbert-Clark crossing to make it 7-0 at the break.?

Wellington won the opening kick-off of the second half through Murphy Taramai, who tipped the ball on to his captain Hayden Schrijvers who ran in and scored their first try to equalise at 7-7.

Wellington’s second try was outstanding, Schrijvers fielding a deep kick and running Belgium Tuatagaloa into space. Murphy Taramai and Ambrose Curtis poured up field. Instead of scoring in the corner, Curtis stopped and cleverly passed back in field to Sheridan Rangihuna who scored near the posts and kicked the conversion to make it 14-7.

Tuatagaloa made a break and kicked ahead for Curtis to regather. A mad scramble ensued at the next ruck and Wellington won an attacking scrum in the corner but the Steelers held on.

A tense finish saw Counties Manukau attacking deep into extra time. The semi-final concluded with Wellington’s Vaea Fifita making a huge try-saving tackle on Sikeli Nabou.?

Men’s Cup final: Waikato 38 – Wellington 19?

Wellington made a free-flowing start to the final, skipper Hayden Schrijvers pushed into touch after an early break.

Waikato made a hash of the lineout, Wellington rushed up and forced an error and had the loosehead feed to the first scrum of the match. Tamati Samuels sliced through for the opening try for a 5-0 lead.

Ambrose Curtis linked up with Tomasi Alosio and burrowed over to score Wellington’s second try. Sheridan Rangihuna converted from out-wide to extend the lead to 12-0.

Rangihuna tried valiantly to chase down Waikato’s Luke Masirewa who ran away from halfway, closing the gap to 12-7.

Against the run of play, Masirewa broke through to score Waikato’s second try, which was converted by captain Wharenui Hawera to give Waikato a 14-12 advantage.?

Early in the second half Wellington made a lineout error and Waikato’s Dylan Collier broke away to score their third consecutive try, pushing Waikato’s lead out to 21-12.

Waikato pounced again and Declan O’Donnell scored under the posts to make it 28-12.

Wellington had to score next. Vaea Fifita broke up the far touchline and Belgium Tuatagaloa scored to close the gap to 28-19.?

But Waikato sealed the title with a second try to Dylan Collier, who scored again on fulltime.?

Day two results?

Horowhenua Kapiti 14 - South Canterbury 10

North Harbour 29 - Mid Canterbury 7

Manawatu 24 - Wairarapa Bush 7

Tasman 19 – Canterbury 12

Counties Manukau 21 – Taranaki 10

Wellington 24 – Otago 17

Bay of Plenty 17 – Northland 12

Waikato 28 – Auckland 14

Mid Canterbury 24 – South Canterbury 12

Canterbury 26 – Wairarapa Bush 12

North Harbour 26 – Horowhenua Kapiti 5

Manawatu 26 – Tasman 19

Wellington 14 – Counties Manukau 7

Waikato 33 – Bay of Plenty 0

Taranaki 28 – Otago 19

Northland 27 – Auckland 7

Canterbury 24 – 19 Mid Canterbury (19-19 at fulltime)

North Harbour 28 – Manawatu 21 (21-21 at fulltime)

Taranaki 22 – Northland 7

Waikato 38 – Wellington 19

Waikato 36 - Canterbury 7

Bay of Plenty women 14 - Counties Manukau 12

Wellington 31 – Southland 5

Taranaki 29 – Otago 7

Wellington 29 – Canterbury 0

Taranaki 24 – Counties Manukau 17?

Auckland 35 – Bay of Plenty 10

Manawatu 14 – Waikato 10

Otago 19 – Southland 12

Wellington 24 - Taranaki 14

Canterbury 26 – 12 Counties Manukau?

Waikato 26 – Bay of Plenty 21

Auckland 29 – Manawatu 14