Robert Fruean and Buxton Popoalii starred as the Wellington Bs leapt to a 44-21 win over the Canterbury Bs at Porirua Park on Saturday afternoon.
Canterbury and Crusaders bound Fruean and his Northern United club teammate Popoalii both played leading roles in a satisfying season ending win in the sun for Wellington in which they ran out seven tries to three winners over their Canterbury counterparts.
Fruean scored two tries and had a direct hand in at least two more, while Popoalii raced in for a hat trick - including the first try inside the first minute of the match and the last try with the final act of the game.
Right wing Popoalii flashed in for his first try with the scoreboard clock showing just 19 seconds and first five-eighth Leon Ellison converted from the sideline to set the tone for the first half in which Wellington scored four tries and led 27-0 at halftime.
Ellison followed up Popoalii's first try with a penalty in the 6th minute to see Wellington go 10-0 up, ahead of Popoalii's second try in the 16th minute that increased the lead to 15-0 after a scything run up the centre of the field by halfback Ruki Tipuna.
Fruean was next to get on the score sheet on the half hour mark with a typically powerful run and fend off of his marker up the left hand touchline in broken play after a break by Ellison that was carried on by mobile prop Adrian Barone.
Halfback Tipuna, taking over the kicking duties from Ellison, nailed the conversion to extend the advantage to 22-0.
Wellington's forwards featured heavily in the next try just before halftime, Barone and openside flanker Tivaini Fomai both involved in the lead-up to a five-pointer in the right hand corner to lock Nick Passi.
With the gentle breeze now at their backs, Canterbury opened their account early in the second half with a converted try after a dropped Wellington pass inside their 22.
But Wellington maintained their attacking ascendancy and captain and hooker Eugene Smith came up with a try in reply after a period of sustained pressure near Canterbury's line, Canterbury spilling the ball on their tryline and Smith pouncing to make it 32-7 after 50 minutes.
Canterbury regrouped and scored their second converted try to their left winger and pressed hard to make a comeback. But instead Fruean took the game out of their hands with a dynamic long-range try to sign off from Porirua Park in style.
From 70 metres out, replacement first five-eighth Anthony Bradshaw chipped and regathered and offloaded to Fruean who marched up the grandstand touchline, swatted away the last line of cover defence and scored Wellington's sixth try.
Canterbury's replacement halfback replied with their third converted try to close the score to 39-21, ahead of Popoalii crossing for a well-constructed try on fulltime off an attacking scrum in centre field near halfway.
From the set-piece, Wellington moved the ball up a wide blindside to man of the hour Fruean, who charged up the attacking channel and delivered a sweetly timed pass to Popoalii to motor away and make it 44-21.
This win for the Wellington Bs caps a successful season in which they won 10 from 11 of all their matches played and captured the Hurricanes region Development title last weekend.
Scores:
At Porirua Park: Wellington B 44 (Buxton Popoalii 3, Robert Fruean 2, Nick Passi, Eugene Smith tries; Leon Ellison pen, con; Ruki Tipuna 2 con) Canterbury 21. Â HT: 27-0.