MSP strike success at New Zealand Marist tournament

It was a Marist St Pat’s one-two at the New Zealand Marist Federation Club Sevens tournament this weekend, with the two MSP teams squaring off in the Cup final at Wakefield Park on Sunday afternoon.

MSP’s top side ran away with a 51-10 Cup final win over their club mates, after earlier edging out Hutt Old Boys Marist 14-12 in their Cup semi-final in a match that saw both sides score two tries but MSP converting both of theirs. 

MSP’s second side [MSP Blue] had defeated Whakatane Marist 26-14 in their Cup semi-final.

Both MSP Blue’s and Whakatane Marist’s Cup quarterfinals had gone into extra time, both decided on golden point tries. HOBM had beaten Hastings Rugby and Sports 21-10, whilst MSP had won theirs by default with Invercargill Marist missing out on the second day’s play owing to a Sunday morning travel schedule.

Napier Old Boys Marist beat Marist St Michaels to win the Bowl, Hastings defeated Palmerston North Marist to win the International section and HOBM beat Whakatane Marist to collect the Plate.

On Saturday, MSP also won the one-day women’s competition, beating Hastings 29-24 in a golden point thriller in the last match of the day between the two unbeaten teams.

The tournament that was played under cloudy skies on Saturday and in cool sunny conditions on day two was well run and was well officiated by the WRRA. Some exciting rugby was seen and a number of great tries were scored on the two Wakefield Park artificial surfaces that were used.

Day one saw both MSP teams and HOBM Eagles top the three men’s pools, with unbeaten days.

A couple of late withdrawals meant a rearrangement of the men’s draw, with three men’s pools in action. The first day’s play was characterised by a series of close results, with eight of the 16 men’s pool matches separated by winning margins of converted tries.

The New Zealand Club Sevens tournament is this weekend at William Jones Park, Wainuiomata.

Tournament results (unofficial):

Day One

Men’s

Pool A
Hastings 40 -Invercargill Marist 5
MSP Blue 10 – NOBM Black 5
MSP Blue 24 – Invercargill 5
Hastings 33 – NOBM Black 7
Invercargill Marist 24 – Napier Black 19
MSP Black 26 – Hastings 14

Pool B
HOBM 7 – Palmerston North Marist 5
HOBM 12 - Marist St Michael’s Rotorua 7
Palmerston North Marist 21 – Marist St Michael’s Rotorua 5

Pool C
Napier Old Boy Boys Marist 7 – Whakatane Marist 5
MSP 24 – South Island Marist 5
MSP 19 – Napier Old Boys Marist 12
Whakatane Marist 14 – South Island Marist 12
South Island Marist 24 – Napier Old Boys Marist 12
MSP 14 – Whakatane Marist 12

Women’s
Hastings 22 – HOBM 15
MSP 24 – South Island Marist 10
Hastings 21 – South Island Marist 10
MSP 36 – HOBM 0
MSP 29 – Hastings 24
HOBM 22 – South Island Marist 7

Day Two (Day Two results to be confirmed): 

Shield Game 1: Napier Old Boys Black 28 – NOBM 12
Shield Game 2: Napier Old Boys Marist Black 32 – Marist St Michael’s Rotorua 5
Cup Quarterfinal 1: MSP Blue 17 – Palmerston North Marist 17 (MSP Blue won on golden try)
Cup Quarterfinal 2: Whakatane Marist 17 – South Island Marist 17 (Whakatane won on golden try)
Cup Quarterfinal 3: MSP beat Invercargill Marist by default
Cup Quarterfinal 4: HOBM 21 – Hastings 10
International Semi-final 1: Palmerston North Marist beat South Island Marist
International Semi-final 2: Hastings beat Invercargill Marist by default
Cup Semi-final 1: MSP Blues 26 – Whakatane Marist 14
Cup Semi-final 2: MSP 14 – HOBM 12
International Final: Hastings 31 – Palmerston North Marist 17
Plate Final: HOBM 36 – Whakatane Marist 21
Cup Final: MSP 51 – MSP Blue 10