At Rawhiti Domain: Lincoln University 44 (Ben Morris 2, Jesse Houston 2, Rameka Poihipi, Logan Bell, Connor Gordon, Caleb Makene tries; Poihipi 2 conv) beat New Brighton 10 (Brent Lamb try; Scott Davidson conv; Stefan Moir pen). HT: 17-3. Referee: Blair Barclay.
So as top rams do, Lincoln went right through the field. And what a job they did on a battling Brighton in the last round of the Hawkins Cup championship.
Every Ram who took the field did his darnedest to promote the cause. But the name on everyone’s lips in the last quarter was Jack Powell.
Powell has had surgery for an ankle injury sustained in the first round. He was back for the last round off the bench only because Cullen Grace had to withdraw at late notice.
The fourth of a talented quartet of towering titans for Lincoln was not long on the park when he took off on a remarkable run to put Jesse Houston across for the first of the substitute wing’s two tries.
On that evidence, Powell would give the ageing Usain Bolt a run for his money. He took off on another startling burst shortly after.
Connor Gordon was spelled at about the same time that Powell came on, and he can reflect on a top performance. Early, he made the perfect head-on tackle of a barging Brighton behemoth. Then he showed that he can also run like the wind.
What about Rameka Poihipi? Sadly, his normally trusty boot let him down in the goal-kicking stakes but he made up for it with ball in hand. His try, when he angled back from nowhere seemingly then lit the after-burners, was a cracker. He continued to be a threat.
Poihipi is now on 120 points and remember that Brett Cameron is past the 50 mark. Cameron is due back in action this week. Will room be made in the starting lineup for Poihipi, possibly at second-five?
Not that Logan Bell had a bad game. Far from it. His intensity on both defence and attack were admirable and he scored a try. George Stratton was from the same mould.
Two-try Ben Morris started the rout for Lincoln with his first try from a rolling maul that covered 20m, splitting then coming together again unstoppably.
Brighton were saved from being hung, drawn and quartered when they fought back for a consolation try near the end. Durable No.8 Aaron McCoy, who recovered from a painful knock late in the first half and kept going until the end, was influential in getting Brighton on the roll that led to the try and he put his side back on the attack again with a turnover.
No.6 Ryan Newman was also a top ball-stealer. Indeed, Lincoln gave up more turnovers than they’d be happy with.
Of course Lincoln did as well in that regard. No.6 Dustin Coveney had a top game while Harrison Courtney once showed magic hands to prove his talents aren’t all of the hard graft kind. Troy Hallett and Callum Burrell were also influential around the park while helping Courtney embarrass Brighton several times in scrums.
So a highly satisfactory finish to the big round-robin for the Rams, and it was done without Mitch Dunshea, Jack Stratton and Ere Enari, who were part of an enforced rest for the Crusaders.
MVP: Connor Gordon 3, Dustin Coveney 2, Harrison Courtney 1.