Matchday Scoring Highlights: Hawke’s Bay U18s (42) v Centurions U18s (41)

For the neutral observer, this match featured some cracking tries by both teams – and its all packaged up in the highlights below.

Hawke’s Bay trailed the whole game but scored a try when it mattered with the final play of the game and kicked the winning conversion on fulltime.

Earlier, the Centurions had got off to a fast start and led 17-0 after about 15 minutes, before Hawke’s Bay struck with a pair of converted tries to close this up to 17-14.

Both sides continued to trade tries and the Centurions led 31-21 at the interval.

This patterend continued into the second half as they advanced their score to 36-28.

After a converted push inside Hawke’s Bay’s 22 and going close on a couple of occasions, Hawke’s Bay regrouped and subsequently won an intercept try that closed the gap to 36-35.

One more big effort after 90 seconds with ball in hand by the Centurions saw them score their seventh try to extend the lead to 41-35, the conversion in a tricky breeze just missing and Hawke’s Bay still alive.

They tried to close the game out but Hawke’s Bay won a turnover, regained possession and territory and found the tryline for their winning try.

In the playoff for third, Manawatu U18s beat the Wellington Māori U18s 26-5, while Wairarapa-Bush retained their Division 2 title – photos below:

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