Hautapu dreamed to believe – and at one point midway in the second half it looked possible – but in the end the unbeaten Hamilton Marist premier rugby team was simply too good.
The green and whites won the Breweries Shield Waikato premiership title beating the defending champion Cambridge club 22-8 on the club’s new artificial turf at Marist Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Quentin Hill has the shirt ripped off his back as he holds off the Hamilton Marist tacklers. Photo: Jane Thompson.
Hautapu opened the scoring with a Quintony Ngatai penalty followed soon after by an unconverted Liam Gilheany-Black try to give Marist a lead it never relinquished.
Referee Michael Winter sent Hautapu’s Quentin Hill to the sin bin and awarded a penalty try and just before the break Māori All Black Mason Tupaea – in his Marist blazer game – sold a huge dummy and stormed over for a try which Fletcher Morgan converted to give the home team a 19-3 halftime lead.
Underneath all those Marist players is Hautapu flanker David Morris scoring a try to give the defending champions some hope early in the second half. Patting him is number eight Elijah Corbett. Photo: Jane Thompson.
Flanker David Morris gave Hautapu hope with a try in the corner. Ngatai narrowly missed the conversion and despite some battling plays, it was all too much for the visitors.
Driving rain, wind and sunshine made it a game for all four seasons and despite this the handling by both sides was spot on.
Morgan extended Marist’s lead with a penalty and then the team defended mightily to keep Hautapu out.
Hautapu was unable to back up its success in the Breweries Shield premiership against unbeaten Marist in Hamilton on Saturday. Photo: Jane Thompson.
Marist won its last title in 2015 – its third in a row – but its dominance this season has been such that defending champions Hautapu went in as underdogs.
But the Cambridge club has arguably been Waikato’s most successful in the last 25 years with 12 grand final appearances, seven wins, including three sets of back-to-back victories and 20 semi-final appearances.
All four senior teams this year finished in the top four of their respective competitions with the Colts runner up last weekend against Marist.
The focus now goes onto the under 85kg side who have entered the New Zealand under 85kg knockout competition.
Hautapu was unable to back up its success in the Breweries Shield premiership against unbeaten Marist in Hamilton on Saturday. Photo: Jane Thompson.
Elsewhere other Waipā teams had mixed fortunes.
Kihikihi Stallions remain top in the President’s grade following their 24-14 away win over second-placed Melville with Pirongia in third after its 17-0 win over Leamington.
In the division one Mooloo Shield, Suburbs beat Leamington 16-12 at Flagstaff Park and Ōhaupō edged Hinuera 7-5 at home while it was a great day out at Pirongia Domain with the home team thrashing Kereone 79-0 in division one Championship and 31-7 in the division one B Championship curtain raiser.
Ōtorohanga lost the Premiership B Rowe Cup final 40-31 against Hamilton Old Boys.
Waikato club rugby results:
Premier: Hamilton Marist 22 (Liam Gilheany-Black, Mason Tupaea, penalty try, Fletcher Morgan penalty, conversion) Hautapu 8 (David Morris try, Quintony Ngatai pen) Halftime 19-3.
Premiership B Rowe Cup: Hamilton Old Boys 40 Ōtorohanga 31.
Div 1 – Mooloo Shield: Suburbs 16 Leamington 12, Ōhaupō 7 Hinuera 5; Championship: Pirongia 79 Kereone 0; Div 1 A: Ōhaupō 7 Hinuera 5. Div 1 B: Suburbs 10 Leamington 20, Ōhaupō 7 Hinuera 27, Pirongia 31 Kereone 7.
Presidents: Pirongia 17 Leamington 0, Melville 14 Kihikihi 24.
Hautapu was unable to back up its success in the Breweries Shield premiership against unbeaten Marist in Hamilton on Saturday. Photo: Jane Thompson.
