NPC: Manawatu gain promotion
The Manawatu Turbos claimed the Championship Cup after defeating Hawke’s Bay 32-24 which means they will essentially swap places with Wellington in the 2015 Premiership division.
The opening ten minutes suggested plenty of movement from both teams with the ball, but it was a classical 'cut and thrust' period where both finalists struggled to put an early mark on the game.
Otere Black kicked the match's first points in the 11th minute, and Manawatu were beginning to gain some ascendency, before the Magpies and Ihaia West exploded into action.
West scored a striking individual try where the flyhalf displayed his full array of tricks, before scooting half the field to begin a period of Hawke’s Bay supremacy.
After converting his own try, the pivot would miss a penalty but his left-wing would amend for this moments later.
Shannan Chase would score when the Magpies stacked their offence to the left flanks, and after the team combined well, the exciting speedster would skip around the defence to score.
Rob Foreman, playing his 100th provincial match, would leave the field in the first half, and the departure of the stalwart seemed to galvanise the home outfit.
Black would knock over a penalty to close the gap, while Manawatu's forwards began to gain ascendency as the opening half closed with Hawke’s Bay leading 14-6.
The Magpies would come out hard early in the second half, but Kayne Hammington’s try, with the left flanks again ripe for the offence a couple of minutes into the final stanza, would start a Turbos revival.
Fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder crossed ten minutes later with a scorcher of a try, and the long range attack, again seeing Manawatu spreading the ball across the team, saw the fullback hit the ball fast and allowed Manawatu to take the lead.
The Turbos would be denied by the TMO, and then Hawke’s Bay would strike back with Chase scoring his second after Robbie Fruean – who had a strong game – combining with Matt Berquist to score.
West would convert, but tries to Jason Emery and Nathan Tudreu in the last five minutes would give Manawatu their first New Zealand domestic title in 34 years.
Championship final score and scorers!
Manawatu 32-24 Hawke’s Bay
Scorers:
Manawatu:
Tries: Hammington, Milner-Skudder, Emery, N Tudreu
Cons: Black 2, Rure
Pens: Black 2
Hawke’s Bay:
Tries: West, Chase 2
Cons: West 3
Pen: West
