The Junior Warriors posted a solid 30-6 win over the Titans in Saturday night's fourth-round NYC encounter at Mount Smart Stadium.
The reigning premiers adjusted well to the slippery conditions, with dummy half running the key to their dominant display.
The match started slowly, and it took 16 minutes for the home side to receive their first penalty, with five going the way of the Titans in the opening exchanges.
But the Junior Warriors finally scored out wide through Villiami Lolohea. A mistake from the visitors allowed the winger to square up one-on-one with his direct opponent on the flank. Lolohea out-muscled the winger to post first points.
The Junior Warriors then crossed for another quick try, this time through hooker Siliva Havili. He caught the Gold Coast defence napping, darting over from dummy half. Sio Siua Taukeiaho was successful with his second kick, pushing the score out to 10-0.
It looked as though Braxton Stanley would score right before the break, with some powerful running close to the line. But it was ruled as a double movement, leaving the Junior Warriors with a 10-point lead at halftime.
The Junior Warriors showed their intent after the break, with Carlos Tuimavave scoring after just 3 minutes. A break from Lolohea opened the Titans up right down the middle, and Tuimavave capitalised with some good support play.
The halves combined for another try just four minutes later, with Tuimavave finding his halfback Jordan Meads, who bamboozled the Titans defence with a nice step to crash over next to the posts.
The Titans finally got on the scoreboard in the 51st minute, when halfback Kayne Elgey stripped the ball deep in the Junior Warriors’ half. He converted his own try to make it 20-6, but it was too little too late.
Peter Hiku went on to score on debut, and Havili grabbed his second, with both tries from quick running from dummy half.
The home side were relentless in the second half, wearing down the Titans to give us the rather one-sided 30-6 final score.
