The Magpies' Bunnings NPC season ended after an intense game of rugby saw the Bay of Plenty Steamers claim victory in a back-and-forth affair at Tauranga Domain on Saturday afternoon.

Determined to avoid last season’s heartbreak, the Steamers set the tone early, applying pressure as the Magpies struggled to clear their half. After relentless play inside the Magpies' 22, Bay of Plenty finally broke through in the 8th minute. A misplaced kick left Harry Godfrey exposed, allowing the Steamers to steal possession. Despite a messy passage of play, Leroy Carter found a gap to open the scoring.

The home side continued to apply pressure, the Magpies' defence held firm. Against the run of play, they struck back, breaking upfield after a scrum. Hugh Renton powered up to the 10-metre line before a slick move out wide put Godfrey through the defensive line. His elusive footwork saw him glide over to level the score at 7-7.

The first half remained competitive, with Bay of Plenty unable to capitalise on their dominance. Discipline cost them as the Magpies earned a lineout deep in their territory. A surging maul allowed Tyrone Thompson to break away and score in the corner, putting the Magpies up 12-7 at halftime.

The Steamers struck early in the second half as the Magpies inched offside, allowing the Steamers to set a lineout of their own 5 metres out. They looked dominant and as they barreled towards the line Joel Hintz pulled the maul down illegally resulting in a penalty try and a yellow card to himself, shifting the momentum in the Steamers favor.

The Magpies spent much of the second half in the Steamers' territory but couldn’t capitalise, including having a try disallowed in the 61st minute due to a double movement by Renton. Ten minutes later, their persistence paid off, as Jacob Devery claimed a lineout drive try, putting the Magpies up 17-14.

The Magpies tried their best to hold on, but it wasn’t to be. The Magpies won a scrum with minutes remaining and decided to kick the ball back to the Steamers who went on the attack. They made metres up the field and the Magpies gave away an offside penalty on the 10-metre line. From there the Steamers set a lineout drive and barreled there way over with Taine Kolose scoring the try and stealing the game for Bay of Plenty.

It was heartbreak for the Magpies, eerily similar to their last-minute defeat to Tasman earlier in the season. Missed opportunities and critical errors in key moments ultimately cost them the game. Despite the result, it’s been an exciting season for Hawke’s Bay, and the team will no doubt be looking to build on this for next year.

Full Time Score – 19-17

Source – Corban Boyd

Article added: Monday 21 October 2024