It's Finals day the the 2012 ZM Masters National Touch Championship, after three days of intense competition teams will be giving their all and hoping that late injuries don't cruel their chances of holding aloft their respective Championship trophy.
The Over 30 Mixed Final featured Wellington, who were looking for their fourth title on the bounce, a remarkable feat in New Zealand touch and Bay of Plenty, who had not lost a game all tournament. The Bay had an effective footwork and diving game which was causing the Wellington defenders issues, just as Wellington's early long ball approach was creating some near opportunities for them.
With the match locked at 2-2 a player needed to step up and capitalise on their team's chances. Steve Toki was beginning to look extremely dangerous for Bay of Plenty and, much like he did in the 2011 World Cup Senior Mixed Final, he made the game his own by assisting Ricky Northcott through the middle, Emanuel Werahiko on the edge and Samual Matekuare on the outside. These three plays knocked the stuffing out of a Wellington team who had been their equal up to this point and the Bay held out to with a 5-3 victory or "vic-Toki".
Auckland were defending champions in the Over 40s Mixed Grade from the last Nationals and a long history exists between Auckland and Kapiti Horowhenua in the Masters competition throughout the years, in the Mens 35s and 40s. Both teams had a nervous start; managing to get runners into the in goal, but without completing the scoring play.
It was 3-1 to Auckland at the half but it took 4 minutes of play in the second spell before Peter Walters came into his own; he dumped and split, received the ball back, ran the hole, short delayed pass to Shane Edwards and Auckland scored again.
The Championship was all but sewn-up after Auckland’s Paul Norris intercepted a pass, ran the length of the field and scored, followed by Walters running at the line, showing the ball, and scoring between his markers. It was Walters' 17th consecutive Gold medal at Masters Touch level, having played in every final in the grade his team has contested, and having never lost a final.
The Over 35 Men's grade featured a massive encounter that went right down to the wire. Bay of Plenty came into this game as hot favourites over a Whanganui team only recently returning to nationals level competition. They showed just why they were the favourites when almost immediately from the tap off they scored through Jason Puddle but Whanganui showed great spirit under pressure and their reward for weathering the many attacking storms was to take an unlikely halftime lead. Bay of Plenty hit back thanks to a strong performance by Jason Puddle who inspired his team to a nail-biting 7-6 victory.
In other grades, Canterbury's Over 30s Women continued their dominance of the North Harbour side, finishing off their perfect tournament with a 6-0 win. Wellington got the better of Counties Manukau in the Over 35 Womens final but in the Over 50 Men's the Counties team found its form when it mattered most and ran out 5-3 winners over North Harbour.
Last Modified on 28/02/2012 18:04