The Māori All Blacks have beaten Moana Pasifika 28-21 in their rugby game in Hamilton.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The combined Pacific Island team led 9-7 at half time.
It was an even tussle in the first 40 minutes with both sides making a number of breaks however turnovers let them down.
The Māori were guilty of giving away penalties in their own half which Josh Ioane took advantage of with three first half penalties.
Moana Pasifika 1st-five Josh Ioane kicks a penalty. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2020 www.photosport.nz
Māori fullback Kaleb Trask scored the only try of the first half when he broke through some weak tackling to crash over under the post, which he then converted.
The game opened up in the second half with captain Ash Dixon and centre Billy Proctor both scoring for the Māori in what looked like a decisive spell for them.
However, Moana Pasifika were next to score through flanker Alamanda Motuga which kept them in touch for the next 20 minutes.
A series of penalties then gave the Māori excellent field position and instead of kicking for goal they had a number of attacking lineouts which eventually resulted in a try to replacement flanker Mitch Karpik.
Moana Pasifika scored their second try through Dwayne Polataivao in the last five minutes to close the gap to seven, but the Māori held on for the win.
Fullback Kaleb Trask converted all of the Māori All Blacks four tries.
Relive all the action with a live blog from Jamie Wall:
