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The Otamatea Hawks were undefeated all season. Photos, Kaitlyn O’Shea Photography.
The Otamatea Hawks have navigated their way through an uncertain season to win the South Zone Championship.
The semi-final round of the championship was cancelled, due to lockdown interrupting play, and the
Hawks were thrust straight into a final with Mid-Western, based on points.
Hawks president Michael Tovine says it was a hard-fought final at the Maungaturoto Country Club.
“Mid-Western dominated the early stages of the game through a strong forward display to take an early 3-0 lead,” he says.
The Hawks struck back after 20 minutes with the quick-thinking Nick Makea taking a quick tap, allowing the elusive John Luke Whitehead go under the posts.
But Mid-Western soon grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, with two well-constructed tries, to take a 17-10 lead at half time.
With an early stalemate in the second stanza, it took a try from veteran hooker Lance Nepia to close the gap to just two points.
A barnstorming run in the next play saw evergreen prop Lance Vale crash over the try line and the Hawks take a 22-17 lead with 12 minutes to go.
Standout big lock Nathan Taylor scored another try with four minutes to go. The successful conversion by Michael Robinson took his kicking tally to nine points for the day and a 29-17 lead.
Mid-Western threw everything at the last three minutes, grabbing a late try before the whistle blew, but the Hawks retained the lead, winning 29-24.
The Hawks win is a complete reversal of the team’s fortunes last season, when it was placed bottom of the table and was relegated down a grade.
“The boys could have chucked it in, but they stuck in and turned it around. Coach Nick Makea has done a massive job in changing the culture,” Tovine says.
Meanwhile, Tomarata Rugby’s season was unexpectedly cut short by lockdown because their club is located in the Auckland region, despite playing in the Northland Rugby Union.
The team had performed well this season, placing it second on the standings tables, ahead of Mid-Western.
Tomarata would have played Mid-Western in the semi-finals and coach Phillip Tana believes the boys were well on track to play in the final.
“It is a disappointing end to the season, but we are still rapt with how we performed,” Tana says.
The club is still intending to hold its annual married versus singles match, as well as its highly anticipated prizegiving party on Saturday, September 12.
Meanwhile, Wellsford Rugby Club also had its season cut short in the premier grade, although it wasn’t particularly consequential, given its position in the standings.
The premier grade competition was won by Waipu, for the second year in a row, in a home game final against Mid Northern.
Wellsford players Ross Wright, Paddy-Jo Atkins, Rene Ranger and Jordan Hyland are now focused on playing for Northland Taniwha in the Mitre 10 Cup.
