Sheffield Eagles 50 Halifax 12: Taulapapa leads Sheffield to play-off victory over Halifax

Damian Ball’s side, missing key forwards Makali Aizue and Jacob Fairbank through injury, were out of this contest after an embarrassing opening 28 minutes.

That was as long as it took Sheffield to run up a 26-6 lead that always looked decisive.

The Eagles’ big men were dominant in the middle and, with that platform laid, Taulapapa, who will play for Hull KR in Super League next season, proved almost unplayable for the visitors’ left-side defence.

There was a fleeting rally early in the second half, Sean Penkywicz’s try briefly narrowing the gap to 26-12 as Fax enjoyed a rare period of ascendancy, but once Dane McDonald’s second try re-established Sheffield’s advantage at 32-12 the fight went out of the champions.

The visitors conceded a penalty for holding down after just 47 seconds, which was converted by Simon Brown for a 2-0 lead.

They responded with an incisive attack down the middle, before the ball was spread to the left where Penkywicz’s short ball put Jon Goddard over for a try.

Danny Jones converted, before Taulapapa shoved off Haley to sprint clear and send full-back Quentin Togagae under the posts.

Brown kicked the goal and then Joe Hirst stampeded over Ryan Fieldhouse to score straight from the kick off, Brown’s conversion edged the Eagles out to 14-6.

Further tries came from Andy Henderson and McDonald, Brown’s boot ticking the scoreboard over to 26-6.

Penkywicz stabbed the ball into the in goal to force a drop out and then scored the try himself, twisting over from point-blank range and Jones kicking the conversion to make it 26-12.

The next try always looked crucial and, unsurprisingly given what had gone before it, it went to Sheffield, McDonald touching down.

Brown’s conversion and a subsequent penalty put his side 34-12 ahead going into the final quarter and from that moment Fax looked like a side who just wanted it all to end as quickly as possible.

Henderson made it 38-12 and Fax were reduced to 12 men when Sam Barlow was sin-binned for dissent.

Sheffield piled on some more agony after that, Taulapapa touching down and Brown adding the extras for 44-12 before Johnny Woodcock brought the curtain down on Fax’s season.

Sheffield: Togagae, Finigan, Taulapapa, Hanson, Bergin, McDonald, Brown, Howieson, Henderson, Stringer, Szostak, Green, Hirst. Substitutes: Hepworth, S. Scott, Smith, Woodcock.

Halifax: Fieldhouse, White, Goddard, Haley, Worrincy, Jones, Beswick, Gannon, Penkywicz, S. Barlow, Clayton, Bannister, Smith. Substitutes: Black, J. Barlow, Cherryholme, Chandler.

Referee: M Thomason (RFL).