Top Four - Day One Recap

By Adam Julian

The National Top Four is being held at Arena Palmerston North this weekend to crown New Zealand's First XV champion. The finalists have been found after an action-packed Friday.

Manukura Set to Defend Hine Pounamu

Manukura: 38 (Malina Leatherby-Millar, Te Maia Sweetman, Kingston Taiapa, Araia Keighley-Rein, Te Maia Sweetman 2, Taylah Seng tries; Maia Davis 4 con) Hamilton Girls’ High School: 17 (Matilda Chandler, Terangi Kureta, Cadence Kepa tries; Keira Russell con). HT 33-0

For 50 minutes, Manukura was in full control of the first match of the day at the Arena.

With six unanswered tries and a 38-0 lead, perhaps they were already thinking of Sunday’s final.

For their part, Hamilton, who had misfired as much as Manukura soared, suddenly clicked into life. Where passes were previously going to ground or missing their targets, they started sticking, their bench made an impact, and they came back to dominate the next 20 minutes and score three tries.

But the deficit would prove too great and Manukura held on for a well-deserved victory to book their place in Sunday’s final to defend the Hine Pounamu Trophy.

Manukura whitewashed Hamilton 31-0 in the 2023 final. Manukura scored five tries and led 33-0 at halftime, capitalising on several unforced errors and handling mistakes by Hamilton, and their organisation and swift decision-making at ruck time proving effective.

Hamilton knocked on the opening kick-off and Manukura went wide from the opening scrum to right-wing Malina Leatherby-Millar to make it 5-0.

Manukura soon scored their second try after a Maia Davis kick and chase up into the 22 saw them regain possession and build phases. No. 8 Te Maia Sweetman barged over to make it 12-0.

Manukura went up 17-0 after 22 minutes, capitalising on another mistake inside the 22 by Hamilton’s backs. This led to lock Kingston Taiapa scoring and Davis converting.

Their fourth try was well constructed, good passing and vision sent fullback Araia Keighley-Rein over untouched. Davis added her third conversion, and it was now 24-0.

They put the hammer down right on halftime when they took a quick tap penalty from 40 metres out and No. 8 Sweetman ran all the way through to score untouched. Davis’ conversion made it 33-0 at halftime and it was a steep climb back for Hamilton.

More ruck penalties gave Manukura the impetus to go back hot on the attack early in the second half. Hamilton defended well close to their line, making two try-saving tackles. But the weight of pressure soon saw left wing Tayleh Seng scoring the easiest of tries out wide. 

Hamilton finally broke through to score their first try, some good handling and support play resulting in year 11 second five Matilda Chandler crossing for a converted try to cut the lead to 38-7.

Suddenly, Hamilton had their tails up and they quickly swept back up into the 22. Manukura hung on, but couldn’t capture the bouncing ball when Hamilton fullback Keira Russell put in a short rolling kick that evaded the covering defence and No. 8 Terangi Kureta pounced on the ball in the in-goal and scored to make it 38-12.

Was a comeback on the cards?

Hamilton scored their third try from a penalty and lineout on the 22. The forwards mauled their way close to the line and replacement Cadence Kepa scored. It was now 38-17 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

For Manukura, No. 8 Sweetman, lock Taiapa, hooker Kōtuku Hennessy and openside flanker Elley-May Taylor were amongst their best players on the day. Captain and halfback Maia Davis was instrumental for them, as always.

Hamilton’s midfield pairing of try scorer Chandler and centre Regan Chapman were strong on defence and fullback Russell showed some good touches with ball in hand. 

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Howick College: 22 (Uaina Lefau 2, Asha Taumoepeau-Williams, Maddison-Rose Motuliki tries; Mariner Sina con) Christchurch Girls’ High School: 17 (Melody Ehau, Lucy Gallagher, Taila Foster tries; Zoe Gullery con) HT: 5-12

Debutants Howick College flipped a halftime deficit to win a passage through to the final.

Howick was guilty of being too ambitious in the first half. Against the stiff wind, Howick refused to kick the ball, pushed passes, and made too many mistakes. Christchurch’s forwards were honest and physical capitalising on superior field position.

Howick hinted they were dangerous with several slashing breaks going unconverted -accept their opening try when first five-eighth Mariner Sina busted from deep inside her half and fired a peach of a pass to centre Asha Taumoepeau-Williams who did the rest from halfway. Taumoepeau-Williams was a constant threat to the Southerners, her size and pace formidable.

Christchurch struck the opening blow when tenacious openside Melody Ehau wriggled over in traffic after seven minutes. Howick’s response was sensational, but fatigue coming out of their half was punished when industrious lock Lucy Gallagher caught the defence napping.

The most notable change in Howick’s second-half approach was a better balance between attack and defence. Sina kicked superbly and an attacking kick regathered by Howick directly led to a try scored by left winger Uaina Lefau which made it 12-10.

Howick took the lead after 47 minutes when livewire openside Marica Tukana took a quick tap and threw a skip pass to blindside Maddison-Rose Motuliki who made an angled charge over the line.

Howick had real momentum and swift passing involving multiple handlers to set up Lefau for her second.

Christchurch drew upon their experience of four consecutive tournament appearances to rally. When reserve hooker Taila Foster scored with about ten minutes remaining, Howick was hanging on grimly, reduced to 13 players for poor discipline.

However, the wind was becoming an increasing challenge and Howick defended resolutely for a memorable victory. Rose Motuliki and No.8 Keana Farani were powerhouses for Howick.

Howick lost two players to the sinbin but those left on the field dug deep anchoring Christchurch in their half.

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Nelson into First Top Four Final, Hamilton Awaits

A herculean defensive display earned Hamilton Boys’ High School an eighth trip to the National Top Four final, a relentless and unpredictable Feilding High School foiled 23-19.

With a record 14 tournament appearances, Hamilton is historically more accomplished and initially, it appeared the Hurricanes champions were overawed slumping to a 17-0 deficit.

Hamilton opened the scoring in the sixth minute when the ball squirted out of a maul and bounced favourably for Hamilton lock Steffan Newman who quickly saw space and dispatched a pass to raging winger Ross Anderson who strode 60 metres clear.

Feilding was rocked by the swiftness of the setback and fell off tackles meekly. Hamilton shortly doubled their advantage when loosehead prop Luke Hills threw an extravagant dummy which fooled Feilding. There had been notable incisions prior made by midfield pairing Hiraka Waitai-Haenga and Ollie Guerin.

Hamilton had a third before the 20-minute mark. Guerin busted from inside his half again. The Hamilton forwards surgically built phases and winger Maxwell Kara was eventually unmarked.

Nixon Foreman was the spark that launched Feilding’s comeback. The robust second five-eighth stepped off the foot right and shoved through traffic to dot down.

The sparkling feet of Peni Havea were the next to bamboozle Hamilton’s defence. The winger turned into John Travolta close to a scrum on the ten-metre mark in Hamilton territory. Havea was stopped narrowly short of the paint but burly prop Dane Johnston wouldn’t be denied with his more direct approach.  

Feilding monopolised possession in the second half undaunted by their relative lack of pedigree. Johnston and hooker Alani Fakava were damaging but it was bristling lock Zach Filer who waded through following a barrage of phases to spring Feilding into a 19-17 lead.

A lack of caution inside their 22 cost Feilding three points. A brazen attack saw Steffan Newman isolate a stranded ball carrier. The Hamilton lock then tapped quickly from a penalty and galloped ten meters ahead to advance a penalty to within throwing distance for Year 11 fullback Jackson Botherway.

Newman was at the forefront of Hamilton’s steel. Later he snaffled a vital turnover off a rampaging Johnson.

Feilding No.8 Rupeni Raviyawa was on a tear, twice denied over the line. Havea and fullback Dan Masiri combined to send Raviyawa roaring down the wing. Raviyawa lunged for the line but was jolted by Hamilton's first five-eighth Dallas Rata-Makene who forced a juggle and knock on. Raviyawa was then held up by reserve Caleb Grice when he speared hard and low but couldn’t breach.

A Feilding fumble with less than five minutes remaining would provide the reprieve Hamilton desperately needed. Halfback Mitch Swann booted the ball into vacant pasture and centre Ollie Guerin and reserve Corban Dunlop galloped like greyhounds to extract Feilding’s retreat. A Botherway penalty finally settled an engaging, exhaustive contest.

Hamilton Boys’ High School: 23 (Ross Anderson, Luke Hills, Maxwell Kara; Jackson Botherway 2 pen, con) Feilding High School: 19 (Nixon Foreman, Dane Johnston, Fuller; Foreman 2 con) HT: 17-12

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Give them an inch, they will take a mile.

That is what Kelston Boys’ High School afforded Nelson College in the opening 30 minutes of their second Top 4 semi-final.

Nelson College captain and first-five Harry Inch helped spark his players to a much more settled start, in which they scored the game’s first three tries to go up 21-3.

Kelston rallied and scored their first try just before halftime, and were much more competitive throughout the second spell, but the deficit was too much for them to reel in and they were always chasing the game. Nelson also retained the Moascar Cup, which they will put on the line again on Sunday against Hamilton Boys’ High School.

Kelston would also score the first try of the second half to go up 21-13 but that was as close as they got, with Nelson scoring their winning try several minutes from fulltime.

The game started with Nelson creating several early chances, while Kelston gave away a slew of early penalties and took far too long to settle.

It was a tale of two flankers in the 10^th minute after Kelston blindside Aio Keith was sin-binned and then from the next lineout, Nelson’s forwards drove at the line and openside flanker Brownless dived over from the next phase for the first try and a 7-0 lead.

Nelson were in for their second try with Kelston a player down, more converted phase play had their forwards lining up to have a crack at the line. Halfback Oliver Gibbons was the player to dart through to double the score.

Kelston regrouped and started making inroads into Nelson’s territory. Fullback Tyson Parsons put them on the board with a penalty in the 27^th minute.

But Nelson replied five minutes before halftime with their third try of the semi-final. Fullback Kaelen Grafton ran back a clearing kick to just outside the 22 and set up a try to second five-eighth Jimmy West who ran to the right of the posts untouched. First five Inch judged the kick well and Nelson was now up 21-3.

Kelston needed to score next – and they did. A minute out from halftime they put in their best attacking spell of the game, stretching Nelson across both sides of the field. This led to blindside Keith atoning for his earlier sin-binning by crashing over to make it 21-8 at halftime.

In contrast to the first half, Kelston made a powerful start to the second. A long period in possession was rewarded 12 minutes in when No. 8 Dezman Laban flew over from close range to cut the lead to 21-13.

End-to-end action followed. Kelston hooker Xavier Leota knocked on over the line. Nelson blindside Saumaki Saumaki’s offload nearly created a stunning try in the corner.

In the 55^th minute, it was Saumaki Saumaki who doubled Nelson’s lead. A scrum screwed towards the sideline and Saumaki offloaded in congestion to Brownlee who strolled across for the easiest of tries. Nelson were now up 26-13.

Kelston weren’t about to lie down and they redoubled their efforts, and after a long period in possession, hooker Xavier Leota scored in the corner. The deficit was now eight points and they still had to score twice more in five minutes.

Nelson College: 26 (Kobe Brownlee 2, Oliver Gibbons, Jimmy West; Harry Inch 3 con) Kelston Boys’ High School: 18 (Aio Keith, Dezman Laban, Xavier Leota tries; Tyson Parsons pen) HT: 21-8

Girls’ 1st XV Championship – Finals

10.15am: 3 v 4 (Field 3) - Christchurch GHS v Hamilton GHS

10.30am: Final (CETA Arena) Manukura v Howick College

Boys 1st XV Championship – Finals

11.50am: 3 v 4 (Field 3) - Kelston BHS v Feilding

12.40pm: Final (CETA Arena) - Hamilton BHS v Nelson College