Matchday scoring highlights: Centurions U18s (30) v Hawke’s Bay U18s (27)

The two sides met in round two of three of the Hurricanes Youth Council’s U18 Division A Trustbank Central Shield competition.

Spectators at Lyndhurst Park were treated to a close game in cloudy conditions, with the lead changing hands some five times. Hawke’s Bay were leading right up to the final five minutes when the Centurions launched an attack in the corner off a penalty and went for the lineout drive. The chance was initially lost when Hawke’s Bay stole their lineout, but a chargedown was made and the try was scored.

A tense 90 seconds followed at the end with Hawke’s Bay throwing all they had at the Centurions’ line and the match ended with the visitors being held up over the chalk. The Centurions won 30-27.

With this victory, the Centurions meet defending champions the Wellington Samoans in this coming Saturday’s competition decider. The Centurions U18s will want to get at least 2 bonus points from the game, or Hawke’s Bay can still win should they in turn beat Poverty Bay in their fixture.

Wairarapa Bush and Wellington Māori play for the inaugural Gordon Noble-Campbell Cup in the Division B finale. Both these teams are unbeaten so their match is a straight final.

The two finals are at Maidstone Park at 1.00pm (Division B) and 2.30pm (Division B) respectively.

Highlights* of the Saturday’s match at Lyndhurst Park are below, via Club Rugby’s You Tube channel (please consider subscribing)

*Explaining is losing, but about twice a game the red light on our camera stops blinking and the recording stops. Typically because of information or processing overload, such as changing light/ISO conditions (if it’s dull out there in the distance). On Saturday, this happened at the exact wrong moment as the Centurions were scoring their ‘best’ try of the match, first phase off a scrum in the second half. We apologise for this!

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The two teams were:

Hawke’s Bay U18s:

1. Isireli Qaranivalu
2. Joseph -Jyrah Lilo-losefo
3. Fasitau Lapa
4. Khan Stevenson
5. George Prouting
6. William Turner
7. Riley Mullaney
8. Metu Manase
9. Mike Brown
10. Luke Thomas
11. Charles Withers
12. Hunter Andrew
13. Jaziah Symons
14. Raef Robinson
15. Joshua Talau
16. Troy Thomas
17. Elijah Tatalupe
18. Perez Malo
19. Kane Ngawhare
20. Zack Forster
21. Tana Faumuina
22. Joseph Jury-senitu