My Hero …

Three month old Buck, pictured with mum Taylor Hill, was probably the youngest Hautapu supporter at the Waikato senior men’s rugby club final in Cambridge on Saturday. And he only had eyes for his dad Quentin at full time as Hautapu celebrated a seventh Waikato title. Winger Quentin Hill was a key player in Hautapu’s 41-33 win over Hamilton Marist on a day when several Waipā teams featured in club finals.

The dynasty continues.

Hautapu won its seventh Waikato rugby premiership in 26 years at Memorial Park in Cambridge on Saturday before a packed crowd of passionate supporters.

And they did it in the style this team prefers – running rugby at its best but defence when it mattered.

Hautapu beat Hamilton Marist 41-33 scoring seven tries to five. But the game was won early when the home team, stunned by the loss of star flanker Shi Jie Yong with a foot injury, camped in Marist’s half and picked up tries to lock Simon Parker and a spectacular diving effort by flanker David Morris.

Both were converted by Northampton fullback Cameron Gregory-Ring who had an otherwise off day with the boot, missing a sitter in front late in the game.

Marist got one back through Jaime McCarthy but Hautapu, a man down in the sin bin, hit back with tries to prop Tahere Reha and number eight Senita Lauaki.

Mason Tupaea scored for Marist just before the break keeping the Hamilton team in touch 26-12 at the start of the second half.

But speedy wing Waisake Salabiau did what he’s been doing all season – running like a hare – and he scored in the corner to take Hautapu well clear again.

Marist fought back with a try to Eli Winders, converted by former St Peter’s School and Brumbies player Wharanui Hawera.

Replacement Hautapu hooker Nic Jeffcoat scored in a melee but again Marist came back with a try to Hawera to bring the game to a 10-point ball game with less than 10 minutes to go.

Captain and first five Kaea Hongara’s try took Hautapu over 40 points safe, it seemed, with five minutes to play at 41-26. Mason Tupaea scored his second try for Marist, quickly converted by Hawera and it was 41-33.

Marist needed to score twice to win, an impossible task with Hautapu counting down the clock by hanging onto possession.

Two quick tries from lock Simon Parker and flanker David Morris, stung Marist early.

Hautapu, founded in 1903, have now won the shield seven times – back to backs in 1998-1999, 2006-2007 and 2019-2020 – and made 11 grand finals. The club has had 19 appearances in the semi-finals since 1967 and established itself as the best non-city team in the Waikato Rugby Union.

If history repeats, the shield is not going anywhere but to Cambridge in 2024.

On a day Waipā rugby supporters will long remember, Leamington won the Division 1b final beating Tokoroa’s Southern United 36-12 at Leamington and Te Awamutu Sports won the Premier B final with a 30-28 extra time win in Hamilton against Marist.

A battle between two evenly matched teams was decided on the stroke of full time when the hosts opted for and duly missed a penalty which would have seen Marist win the game.

But there were also disappointments – Leamington made the trip to Putāruru for the division one final going down 24-17. The Hautapu Colts wasted a golden opportunity to host the grand final blowing a lead in the last round robin match against Morrinsville to lose 26-21 at Memorial Park, conceding three tries in the last quarter.

The Colts will play Morrinsville again on Saturday, this time in the semi-final at home but if, as expected, round robin winners Hamilton Marist beat Hamilton Old Boys in the other semi, the final will be in Hamilton.

Pirongia finished eighth in the Colts round robin with 40 points losing 18-10 to fifth-placed Hinuera.

In a Friday match, Leamington beat their Te Awamutu Colts counterparts 40-31 to finish 10th with 37 points while Te Awamutu finished 12th on 19 points.

Read: Hautapu: We are the Champions

Results – Colts: Pirongia 10 Hinuera 18, Hautapu 21 Morrinsville 26, Leamington 40 Te Awamutu 31.

Division One: Putāruru 24 Leamington 17, Division 1B: Leamington 36 Southern United 12.

Premier Championship: Hautapu 41 (Simon Parker, David Morris, Tahere Reha, Senita Lauaki, Waisake Salabiau, Nic Jeffcoat, Kaea Hongara tries, Cameron Gregory-Ring three con) Hamilton Marist 33 (Mason Tupaea 2, Jaime McCarthy, Eli Winders, Wharanui Hawera tries, Wharanui Hawera 4 con.)

Hautapu: the Champions. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.