Lions make second half come back

SALES

Les Whiteside les@wsn.co.nz 021 360 008

NATIONAL SALES

Sam Barnes sam@wsn.co.nz 021 109 4406

CLASSIFIED SALES classifieds@wsn.co.nz

Continued from page 1

It took a great second half for the Lions to win after the Vikings led 12-10 at half time.

Both teams scored two tries each in the first 40 minutes, with the difference being that the Vikings kicked both conversions.

Three more tries were notched up by the Lions in the second 40 minutes, seeing them outscore the Vikings by 12 points to six.

John Tahana Wharepapa-Tawiri was outstanding in the match and was named the final’s most valuable player.

The Lions co-captain, John scored a hat trick of tries. He also made a major break, beating defender after defender as he ran for more than half the length of the field before passing to Regan Hauwaho, who went on to score a try.

David Saumolia scored the Lions other try in a move set up by Marvin Karawana.

Bruce Henderson kicked one conversion. Following their victory the Lions dedicated the win to the late Te ti Awa leader Dr Ihakara Porutu (Kara) Puketapu.

Dr Puketapu played a significant leadership role with the Wainuiomata Rugby League Club. During his leadership Wainuiomata was promoted from the second to the first division, won seven Wellington Championships, played in four national finals and won three national titles.

However Dr Puketapu was not a League player in his youth, but rather played Rugby Union.

He played in the Wellington provincial team, winning the Ranfurly Shield in 1956 and was selected in the M ori All Blacks in 1955 and 1956.

“He was our pioneer and the inspiration behind the rise of our club,” the Lions Manager Tabitha Samu says.

Dr Puketapu passed away in July this year.

As well as his big contribution to Wainuiomata Rugby League, Dr Puketapu made a massive contribution not only in Wainuiomata but throughout Aotearoa.

He was patron of the Wainuiomata Marae, helped establish the K hanga Reo movement, which saw New Zealand’s first K hanga Reo begin in Wainuiomata in 1982, and was Secretary of the M ori Affairs Department when it launched the T T ngata/ Stand Tall Kaupapa.

They are just some of Dr Puketapu’s achievements during a career which saw him as a relentless champion for M ori cultural development.

Four busloads of Wainuiomata supporters were among the many who travelled to the final. The supporters all made the traditional half time walk along the playing field.

“Seeing the massive amount of community support out there was awesome,” Tabitha says.

“It is a really great outcome for the whole league community.”

Another feature of the match was the return of the sport to Rugby League Park in Newtown.

For some years now the park has been used by Rugby Union, rather than League, but has now been returned as the major Wellington Rugby League ground.