Source / Sky Sports
Māori All Blacks 28 Moana Pasifika 21
The Māori All Blacks scored a four tries to two, 28-21, victory over Moana Pasifika, a combined Pacific Island team, in Hamilton on Saturday.
The game was a thrilling showcase of Māori and Pasifika rugby talent from start to finish.
The first half was a tight contest with the Moana Pasifika team leading 9-7 at the break.
The Pacific Islanders raced out to a 6-0 lead inside the first 10 minutes after the Māori All Blacks gave away two quick penalties, one in the first-minute out in front of their posts.
The Māori though had two impressive first-half try efforts disallowed, including a thrilling backline run down the sideline, before fullback Kaleb Trask making his debut for the Māori cut the Moana Pasifika defence wide open with a slicing angled run.
The teams continued to set spectators' hearts racing in the second half with more exciting rugby. The Māori scored two quick tries to lead 21-9 inside the first 10 minutes of the half. The second of these tries was a thrill-a-minute chip, regather, flick inside effort that saw Billy Proctor run in the try.
Moana Pasifika powered their way back into the game with a hard-worked forward effort finished off by flanker Alamanda Motuga.
The Māori hit back with a try to replacement Mitchell Karpik after the team pressured the Moana Pasifika line.
But the Pasifika team were not done, with halfback Dwayne Polataivao darting over from a scrum five metres out, leaving them with the hint of a chance to level the scores.
However, the Māori All Blacks remained ahead at the final whistle to take the game.
Māori All Blacks 28 (Kaleb Trask, Ash Dixon, Billy Proctor, Mitchell Karpik tries; Trask 4 cons)
Moana Pasifika 21 (Alamanda Motuga, Dwayne Polataivao tries; Josh Ioane con, 3 pens)
HT: 7-9