Tawa caps perfect Hardham Cup with composed win over Wainui

Hardham Cup final. Westpac Stadium 9 August: Tawa 33 (Na Ioane 2, Pati Gaualofa, Etuale Togia Tries; Juice Finau, Gene Johnston Con; Johnston 3 Pen) Wainuiomata 20 (Mike Lealava'a, Jason Love Tries; Lealava 2 Con, 2 Pen)HT: Wainui 20-8.

Hardham Cup final: Tawa played with patience and composure to defeat reigning Hardham Cup champions Wainuiomata 33-20 at Westpac Stadium. Playing first into a stiff southerly, Tawa conceded 20 first half points to trail 20-8 at the break. Only midway through the second spell did the round robin champions nose ahead, before going on to make the margin comfortable.

The two teams made their entrance just as the first of several polar showers emptied itself onto the park. Moments before, the stadium speakers had pumped out a forgettable rock anthem, bearing the line "This is the moment; this is the time." But there was no need to manufacture atmosphere, with any number of Wainui fans in the stand, faces painted in the club's proud green and black.

Wainuiomata may not have set the competition alight in 2008, but their entrance said much about the club. Each player grasped the shoulder of the man in front of him, the team making its way onto the pitch at a quick march that resembled a fast-paced visiting party at a powhiri. Tawa, on the other hand, ran on in more traditional mode, purposeful, determined, intent.

Making use of the wind, Wainuiomata pegged Tawa in their own territory from the kick-off, and quickly turned the advantage into points when second-five Michael Lealava'a goaled from a penalty for interference at a lineout. A second goal to Lealava'a six minutes later made it 6-0, and further territorial dominance saw the Green and Blacks assert control. Tawa's backs - so potent so often this year - were frequently caught flatfooted, and the trick of introducing number eight and captain Iona Fuatai into the midfield was well handled by determined Wainui defence.

Still, Tawa sought to throw the ball around, and strong running from halfback Damian Madsen and winger Makea Pokere sounded a warning to their opposition. What's more, greater determination and physical presence from the Tawa forwards enabled the Tricolours to protect their own ball much better than in recent weeks. When Wainui fullback Michael Williams fielded a Madsen kick in his own 22 after seventeen minutes, fortunes seemed about to change. A flying tackle by Tawa flanker Afa Logovae, however, had Williams on the turf for a stoppage which lasted seven minutes. As Williams made his way off on a trolley, Logovae went to the bin.

It was only in the 29th that Tawa finally got onto the scoreboard. From a lineout eighteen metres out from the Wainui line, the Tawa forwards opted to maul, surging forward almost unimpeded, and eventually shoving lock Na Ioane over. At 6-5 they were right back in it.

Enter Jason Love. Having moved to fullback from wing after Williams's departure, the hare-like Love relished the space, not to mention the firm conditions under foot. Chipping in behind the Wainui backs from his own 22, Tawa first-five Gene Johnston inadvertently gifted a roaming Jared Beyer with ball and space. Beyer's pass left to Mika Mika opened avenues for Wainui. When Mika shifted it left once more to Love, the blond flash jerked into top gear and covered the thirty metres to the try line, dotting down under the posts to make the conversion easy for Lealava'a.

Love was back in the action moments later. Taking the ball on his own 22, the mullet-bearing Wainuiomata Waterfall cascaded down the lefthand touchline before chipping deep into in Tawa territory. From the resultant scrum, Trevor Bull shifted the ball right to Yogi Rogers, whose infield pass found captain Genesis Mamea arcing towards the posts. Mamea's pass right to Lealava'a saw the second-five in space and unstoppable, diving over to complete a well worked try. Converting his own score, Lealava'a took the match to 20-5. A Johnston penalty just before halftime saw the sides turn around at 20-8.

If Tawa was at all worried at the break, they didn't show it. Thanks to the wind, they were able to spend long periods in Wainuiomata's half. Ten minutes in, after electing to find touch from a kickable penalty, the forwards went into maul-mode once more, with the exact same result as earlier - a try to Na Ioane. A penalty soon after made it 20-16, and suddenly it was game-on.

With eighteen minutes to play, and Tawa once more within sniffing distance of Wainui's line, a series of pick-up-and-go's saw the Wainui defence stretched. Spinning left, the ball went through the hands of Johnston and Lafaele before reaching winger Junior Togia, who just managed to ground the ball in the dive. Another converted try to blindside flanker Pati Gaualofa moments later made it 30-20 to Tawa, and the match was sealed. It was left to Tawa tighthead Livingstone Finau to finish the scoring when captain Fuatai handed him the ball for a late penalty. Finau's accomplished kick sailed sweetly between the uprights to close the game at 33-20.

It was a final which brought together the only two Hardham Cup teams that might have competed in the Jubilee Cup competition. Tawa's backline has enlivened the Hardham Cup, and would have stretched many a Jubilee Cup contender. Wainuiomata played hard, fair rugby, with dignity and discipline. Their challenge to Tawa was real, and it was a measure of Tawa's class that they were able to pull back a fifteen point deficit to win by what was in the end a convincing margin.

When referee Wayne Dickson blew his whistle for full-time, there was a window of quiet within which Tawa's clearly delighted players were able to slap each other's backs and even embrace, before the speakers cranked up once more with Dave Dobbyn's ‘Slice of Heaven'. To say that winning the Hardham Cup qualifies as a slice of heaven is perhaps to overstate the emotion involved. Still, it must have felt pretty good.

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