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 Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper, and Chiefs coach Ian Forster were at McLean Park yesterday afternoon to watch Hawke's Bay play Waikato.If either of them weren't impressed by what they saw then neither of them are deserving of the position they hold.
What they and 9 thousand spectators (many from Waikato, and good on them for making the journey) saw was a magnificent game of rugby played with skill, flair, passion, and determination, and in conditions when many teams would have been content to play percentage rugby and ignore the outside backs and preferring to keep the game close in around the fringes.
Waikato started the game like a house on fire with Liam Messam scoring in the 1st minute, and William Ripia adding the extras. All this whilst some people were still finding their seats.
In times past, this would have been a sign that Hawke's Bay were in for a right royal hiding. But this Bay team is different. The words give up, lie down, surrender,roll over etc etc mean nothing to them.
For the rest of the half the Bay, dominated territory, and their tight five set about their work laying the platform for what would be an outstanding victory. Matt Egan played without a doubt his best game for Hawke's Bay. He contested everything, took the ball up well, and was in support when Zac Guilford scored one of his two tries.
Sona Taumalolo, and Hika Elliott must also have taken a step further towards securing Super 14 contracts for next season. Taumalolo was at his chatty best at scrumtime, and stood up brilliantly in the final 8 minutes when the Bay were reduced to 14 men with George Nauopou sinbinned. Elliott was superb around the field , with his lineout throwing on target every time.
In the backs Danny Lee showed all his class and experience, Guilford was superb, but the most impressive undoubtedly was Jason Shoemark. If the Hurricanes dont want him then surely one of the other New Zealand based franchises will be quick to secure his services, and what a bonus for Hawke's Bay to have resigned him for a further two years.
Fow Waikato Liam Messam showed he is an All Black in waiting, Marty Holah was all class, and Tom Willis showed exactly why he has represented his country in the past and mostly will again in the future as well.
But yesterday at McLean Park was Hawke's Bays day. Not just the Hawkes Bay Magpies, but the Hawkes Bay province.
Everywhere you go people are talking about the Magpies, and the best thing of all is the team are going out in the community.
Who knows what will happen come quarter final or semi or whatever, this team has the support of everyone in the Hawke's Bay. To see the Hawke's Bay under 16 team perform a haka for the side after yesterdays game was simply fantastic.
Congratulations to Coaches Russell, Coventry, Captain Danny Lee and the team, you are doing Hawkes Bay proud.
Oh and go Northland next week against Waikato, if they win, and we beat Manawatu then Southland travel to McLean Park for the quarter finals. Cant wait
Full Time
Hawke's Bay 30
Waikato 26
Hawke's Bay
Tries - Guildford 2, Shoemark 2
Penalties - Berquist 2
Conversions - Berquist 2
Waikato
Tries - Messam, Willison
Penalties - Ripia 4
Conversions - Ripia 2
So that is a home quarter-final for us then - what better way to warm up by putting 50 points on the 'Poo.
Another impressive chapter was written in the story of Hawke's Bay's 2007 Air New Zealand Cup campaign in a determined 30-26 win over Waikato at McLean Park on Saturday.
The match was vitally important in terms of top four qualification and home quarter-final spots, something the Bay now holds a clear advantage for after a lion-hearted effort against a Waikato side still struggling in the absence of injured fly-half Stephen Donald.
Replacement midfielder Jackson Willison grabbed a late consolation bonus point but it wasn't enough to stop cancel the party plans of the ecstatic Napier faithful.
The win represents another feather in Hawke's Bay's cap and again proves there's plenty of life in the Air New Zealand Cup, as the Bay and Southland now inhabit two of the top five spots while Super 14 franchises Waikato (The Chiefs) and Otago wallow in sixth and seventh place respectively.
A win over Manawatu next week would ensure a home quarter-final, while Waikato needs to beat Northland and hope Southland's five-game winning streak ends at North Harbour.
Hawke's Bay survived the last seven minutes without replacement loose forward George Naoupu, who was yellow carded after the home side conceded a fourth penalty at the breakdown while defending their line.
While Naoupu's ejection was expected, two other decisions by referee Matt Stanish threatened to have a huge bearing on the outcome.
Two minutes after Hawke's Bay had secured their own bonus point through Jason Shoemark to lead 30-19, the home side were denied another potential try in the 48th minute when Stanish incorrectly ruled Michael Johnson had knocked on before Bryn Evans appeared to force the ball.
Hawke's Bay almost had another grievance in the 55th when, amid a period of sustained Waikato attack, Stanish awarded a try to Roimata Hansell-Pune before it was overturned on a touch judge's advice.
Stanish missed a blatant forward pass from Willie Ripia to Sosene Anesi and the Waikato full-back also appeared to lose the ball forward before Hansell-Pune applied downward pressure.
Although the eventual decision was correct, Waikato captain Tom Willis remonstrated with Stanish, claiming the try had been awarded and should have stood.
The setback encapsulated a frustrating match for Waikato, who unravelled after a dream start.
Liam Messam crossed in the opening minute after fellow loose forward Steven Bates dummied through the defensive line from the kick-off reception, but any prospect of a morale-boosting romp was swiftly dashed.
Hawke's Bay captain Danny Lee's ability to exploit the blindside paid dividends for the first time in the 13th minute when a sniping run and smart offload in the tackle of Bates freed openside flanker Karl Lowe to feed Jason Shoemark for a rousing response in the right-hand corner.
Ripia's radar-like boot added successive penalties to give the visitors a 13-8 buffer after the first quarter before Hawke's Bay struck again from long range after New Zealand Under-19 wing Zac Guildford handled twice before motoring over to complete a move sparked 60m upfield.
Hawke's Bay's ill-discipline again allowed Ripia to push his side in front but the Magpies finished the half stronger, stringing together multiple phases.
Waikato absorbed plenty of pressure before being caught napping on the short side again.
Karl Lowe detached from a scrum and linked with Justin Wilson, who drew James Kamana for Guildford to dive over unopposed to give Hawke's Bay a crucial 23-16 advantage at the break.
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