Wellington teams win Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council U16 tournament

Division A final: Wellington 35 (Moala Katoa, Andre Hart, Caleb Cavubati, Alex Faifailoa tries; Malo Manuao 3 con, 3 pen) beat Manawatu 10

Division B final: Wellington Development 46 – Horowhenua Kapiti 8

UPDATED: Wellington teams won both the Division A and Division B finals of the Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council’s U16 tournament in Palmerston North on Thursday.

The Wellington side captured the Division A Don Broughton Shield, while the Wellington Development team won the Division B Saracens Cup.

Scots College’s Malo Manuao was the Player of the Tournament.

In the Division A final, Wellington won early phase play but it was Manawatu that posted points on the board and it was 3-3 after 15 minutes.

In the 25th minute Manawatu opened with a try off a 5-metre scrum and went ahead 10-3.

Manuao kicked his second penalty of the first half to close Manawatu’s lead to 10-6 at halftime.

Wellington’s forwards got on top early in the second half and Scots College loosehead prop Moala Katoa crashed over to score. St Pat’s Town No. 8 Andre Hart scored a second try soon after, extending the lead to 23-10. Scots College wing Caleb Cavubati raced through to score to seal victory for Wellington.

Wainuiomata High School’s Alex Faifailoa scored the last try, completing a solid match. Silverstream second five-eighth Albert Polu was also a standout.

In the Division B final, Aotea College wing Ropati So'oalo scored a hat-trick as the Wellington Development side defeated the team from Horowhenua-Kapiti.

Both Wellington teams defended titles they won last year in Levin.

In other Division B results, Hawke’s Bay Development defeated Wairarapa-Bush 22-7 in the playoff for third and fourth and last year’s beaten finalists Wanganui beat East Coast 31-27.

Hawke’s Bay beat Poverty Bay 33-0 in the playoff for third and fourth.

This year’s tournament was hosted by the Manawatu Rugby Union and, apart from a round of pre-tournament competition Development games; it was staged over three days this week, games on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Tournament Top Points-Scorers

Malo Manuao Wellington A 41
Riley Forbes Wellington Development 33
Benedetto Cusin Wellington Development 31
Tamakapua Cook Horowhenua-Kapiti 28
Ropati So'oala Wellington Development 25
Liam Udy Johns Hawke's Bay A 22

2016 Tournament Team

Hawke’s Bay TEDDY Patrick.
Manawatu BOLTON James, MAREKU Josiah, STRATTEN James.
Poverty Bay CHRISTIE Moses, PRIESTLY Billy, WYLIE Tyrin.
Wairarapa-Bush BRACEWELL Isaac, MCKAY Harry.
Wanganui PONGA Paiki.
Wellington A APINERU Iona, BOYLE Harrison, KATOA Moala, MANNIX Luke, MANUAO Malo, PAESE Stanley, PLUMTREE Taine, POLU Albert, TUAPOLA Jaylen, WHITMAN Keelan.
Wellington Development DE LA RAMBELJE Kienan, SOUTHALL Josh.