The Bay’s third 50-pointer in four games came just 24 hours after the Magpies became the only unbeaten side in the 14-team 50th anniversary championship, by virtue of previously unbeaten titleholder Canterbury’s Ranfurly Shield loss to Northland in Christchurch.
They’ve scored 31 tries, and the seven conversions landed by first five-eighths Harry Godfrey made him the first player to pass the half-century in this year’s championship.
Manawatū flanker Rory Adams was first to put points on the board with a try after his side attacked confrontationally straight from the kick-off, but the Magpies replied with a try to hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes six minutes later.
With Godfrey’s conversion, it was 7-5 to the home side after 10 minutes.
Manawatū centre Taniela Filimone scored in the 20th minute and the visitors stayed in front for 16 minutes before Magpies lock Hunter Morrison scored the first of his two tries, and what was also the second of seven scored consecutively by the Magpies before Manawatū scored again, with five minutes remaining.
The Magpies needed another try before halftime, and it came quickly through the first scored for the province by right wing Nic Benn, one of three Australians in the Hawke’s Bay backline.
Morrison opened the second-half scoring, but at 24-12 down Manawatū were still in the contest, until the Magpies scored three converted tries in the 10 minutes Manawatū captain TK Howden was absent after being sin-binned by referee Todd Petrie in the 57th minute.
There could have been more suspensions, but a melee involving several players from each team about 30 metres out from the Manawatū line within two minutes of Howden’s departure was resolved with a chat to those by that stage leading their sides.
Morrison’s substitution in the 52nd provided a unique moment, matching two twins and former Hastings Boys’ High School players, with Tom Allen coming on at lock, against brother Reuben who started at lock for Manawatū.
Ultimately, the faith of the TAB bookies was validated, with the Magpies at possibly their shortest odds since TAB sports betting started in New Zealand in 1996.
They opened at $1.05 to win, and came in to $1.02, while Manawatū drifted to be distant outsiders at $13.
It was the 110th match between the two unions that, for two years in 1997-1998, formed a Division 2 alliance as the Central Vikings, and the Magpies have now won 74.
The Magpies, having had just six days’ break after beating Auckland at Eden Park for the first time in 57 years, again have just six days’ break before playing Southland in Invercargill on Thursday, with hopes of equalling Hawke’s Bay’s best NPC top-division start of five consecutive wins, achieved in 2024.
Hawke’s Bay 59 (Hunter Morrison 2, Kianu Kereru-Symes, Nic Benn, Darby Lancaster, Joe Apikotoa, Hadlee Hay-Horton, Valentino Taito, Anaru Paenga-Morgan tries; Harry Godfrey 7 conversions); Manawatū 17 (Rory Woods, Taniela Filimone, Hunter Kennedy tries; George Worboys conversion). Halftime: 17-12.
Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, based in Napier, with more than 53 years in newspaper journalism, and four decades covering news and sports events and issues in Hawke’s Bay.