Rugby finalists found

Waitohi and Moutere will meet in the final of the Marlborough senior A rugby competition next weekend.

Both sides were given a stern test in their semifinals, especially Moutere who scraped through 33-32 against a dogged Renwick side at Awarua Park.

In Picton, defending champs Waitohi underlined their favouritism and maintained their unbeaten record with a 30-20 victory over the gritty Awatere Tussock Jumpers.

In a very physical encounter, Awatere pushed the defending champs to the brink. Trailing 10-17 at halftime the Tussocks scored soon after the break and then kicked a penalty to lead 20-17 with a quarter of the match remaining.

This jolted the home side into action. With 10 minutes to play Gannon Karena scored out wide, his try converted by Dylan McManaway, who added two more penalties before the final whistle as the home side played in the right areas and assumed control of the match.

Arlyn Bull, Silas Mansell-Flay, Finley Neilson, Campbell Hart, Dylan Burns and Shein Iaromo stood out for the Tohis.

Midfielders Cama Onolevu, Ben Filipo, Billy Collins and Dylan Locke impressed for the Tussocks.

Renwick led for 60 minutes at Spring Creek but were undone by a late second half scoring surge by the home side.

The Mud Dogs scored three unconverted first half tries, to Jaydn Holdaway, Sam Vularika and Wiremu Tango, dominating field position while their committed defence often forced the home side into errors.

However, although they could not find the tryline, two penalties to fullback Hugh Robinson kept the Magpies in the game, trailing just 15-6 at oranges.

A third Robinson penalty soon after play resumed brought the home side within six, but Jayden Lister booted a three-pointer for Renwick soon after to widen the margin once more.

That, along with some replacements from the bench, seemed to spark Moutere into action.

In a pivotal 10-minute burst they added three converted tries, to Charles Tupouto’a, plus replacements Brigham Hart and Towa Murdoch, to shoot out to a 30-18 advantage. Doing the kicking was Tom Sutherland, who took over from an injured Hugh Robinson midway through the second spell.

A shell-shocked Renwick side were not about to lie down though and replied soon after through powerful lock Easi Qalo, Lister’s conversion making it a five-point game as the clock ticked down.

A Sutherland penalty soon after stretched the margin to eight, then Renwick had the last say, midfielder Matt Patterson dotting down wide out. However, after Lister slotted the conversion, referee Cody Golding blew the final whistle on a typically-tight, entertaining clash between the two country rivals.

There were plenty of standouts on both sides, who gave it everything with their season on the line.

Sam and Finn Neal, Tupouto’a, Sutherland, Robinson, Johnny Tahuri, Brigham Hart, Ethan Kahui and Clyde Paewai caught the eye for the home side.

Holdaway, Ty Bampton, Jarrod Ferguson, Lister, Patterson, Scott McLean and Vularika shone for the gallant Mud Dogs, whose collective defence, especially in the first half was impressive.

Innovation

Players in the local semifinals had added incentive with the announcement this week of the formation of a Marlborough Cavaliers side, chosen from the senior A competition, which will play two games later this month.

On 22 August they will meet a Tasman Pasifika side, then, on 29 August they will take on Nelson Country, both games scheduled for Lansdowne Park.

The new innovation is designed to give senior players an opportunity to lengthen their season and represent Marlborough, with the possibility of a return to Red Devils rugby mooted for next season.

First XV

The MBC First XV, who are in a battle for survival in the Miles Toyota Premiership, beat Christ's College 29-19 in Kaikoura today. Next week they play Shirley, also in Kaikoura, in their final match of a long season.