Tawa’s two-try hero Togia jetting off on a high

Tawa's Etuale Togia collects the Player of the Final award on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Dave Lintott. 

Endings to a career don’t get much sweeter than that of Tawa’s Etuale ‘Jet’ Togia.

In a remarkable closing of his club rugby curtain spanning 18 seasons and a tick over 250 Premier games, Togia was crowned bucqi Jubilee Cup champion for the second time, capping off the feat by winning the Jim Brown Plate for Man of the Match in the final.

Togia played a vital role in Tawa’s 24-20 win over Marist St Pat’s, scoring two tries and helping set up another, all in the space of 60 minutes.

Conditions were in Togia’s favour in the opening 30 minutes of the match when Togia scored the first of his two tries, before the rain set in and caused a much more forwards-focused game.

“We were actually hoping for a dry day. Our game plan is quite expansive but we knew when the rain came, we had to adapt… thankfully it paid off,” recalled Togia.

And paid off, it did.

Togia’s second try, the better of the two, came mid-way through the second half and sparked the Jubilee Cup-winning spree that Tawa went on.

On the 40-metre line in their own territory Tawa spread the ball blind-side to lock Hemi Fermanis who offloaded to the hands of locking partner Joketani Koroi. It was then Togia’s time to shine, receiving the ball from Koroi, fending off MSP’s Regan Sword and evading Kerrod Foaese to score and put Tawa back in the lead.

A run down the left of the field just minutes later set up Peniasi Tokakece’s try before Togia was substituted with 20 minutes still on the clock.

That final quarter of the match that Togia spent on the bench was tough, but ended up being all worthwhile for the left wing.

“It was torture but the young fellas stepped up. That’s what it’s all about at Tawa – it’s about the future. These young guys took the game out so it was awesome to see the result, especially against a quality team like Marist. They’re a pretty awesome outfit.”

Togia has decided to hang up his boots, confirming that Saturday’s match was indeed his last in the red, yellow and blue, but he will remain a regular face at Lyndhurst Park.

“I’ll come back and run the water bottles next year. That’s enough [rugby] for me. My eldest [child] is faster than me so that’s saying a lot.”

Players who have scored two tries in a Jubilee Cup final (since 1993):
1998: Mark Fatialofa (Wests Roosters)
1998: Toby Robson (Wests Roosters)
1998: Sam Hala (Wests Roosters)
1999: Nic Fitisemanu (Marist St Pat’s)
2001: Apoua Stewart (Marist St Pat’s)
2006: Neil Meyer (Poneke)
2010: Buxton Popoalii (Northern United)
2011: Afa Fa’atau (Oriental-Rongotai)
2015: Joe Hill (Old Boys University)
2016: Etuale Togia (Tawa)
2016: Matt Peni (Marist St Pat’s)

Also, No. 8 Peniasi Tokakece became the second player to score a try in a Jubilee Cup final for two different teams. Last year he scored a try for MSP in their 27-30 loss to Old Boys University, this year he scored one for Tawa in their 24-20 win over MSP. Peato Lafaele (Poneke in 1999 and then Northern Uited in 2006) has also done this.