Rugby: Spence superb as Kaikorai wins title (+ video)

Kaikorai wing Danny Van der Voort is safe under the high ball as he is challenged by Dunedin’s...
Kaikorai wing Danny Van der Voort is safe under the high ball as he is challenged by Dunedin’s Henry Scott during the match. Photos by Gerard O'Brien.
Kaikorai players and staff celebrate their win.
Kaikorai players and staff celebrate their win.

Forget the hand of God - Kaikorai had the hand of Jayden Spence.

The classy midfielder had a hand all in three of Kaikorai's tries.

He palmed off defender after defender to guide his side to 29-22 win against Dunedin in the premier final at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The 24-year-old produced the first of many powerful fends late in the first half.

Fellow midfielder Logan Moore had rumbled the ball upfield carrying the odd opponent along for the ride.

Loose forwards Paul Grant and Lee Allan both made telling runs before Kaikorai swung the ball left to Spence, who pushed aside Louis Tili and almost got rid of Scott Eade.

The Dunedin first five-eighth managed to cling on to Spence's jersey by his fingertips and eventually dragged him down 5m short.

Blair Tweed picked it up and moved the ball a metre closer before he was stopped.

Spence carried again and then prop Jonah Aoina barged his way over.

Kaikorai went into the break with a 13-6 lead.

Dunedin closed the gap through the boot of Eade before that man Spence struck again.

He swatted aside another two hapless defenders and got the ball to Danny van der Voort.

The winger stepped inside and forced his way over from 5m out thanks to the support of fullback Tony Ensor, who had latched on to help propel his team-mate towards the chalk.

By now this is sounding very familiar but Spence used that right hand of his again, this time to dispatch Tim Tolovae. Having cut through the defence, he ran 20m, drew the last defender and passed to Ensor who ran the final 30m to score in the left corner.

At some stage Spence said he had dislocated his little finger on his right hand and was wincing every time someone shook his hand after the match.

Of course, the injury could have just been a repetitive strain injury.

"It hasn't quite sunk in yet, mate. But I'm absolutely stoked for the old boys up at the club,'' Spence said shortly after the game.

"It has been a while since it [the Speight's Shield] has been up at Kaik. I'm just absolutely rapt for them.''

Spence, who has played 49 games for Otago, will leave for France this week to join the Bordeaux club.

He leaves a very happy man.

Kaikorai last won the banner in 1997. Coach Andy Hunter captained that side and the former hooker was thrilled with his team's effort. Kaikorai won nine consecutive games to win the title.

"The boys put in a massive effort his season. We've had must-win games for weeks in a row and that is a good build-up for a final, I guess,'' Hunter said.

"I think the boys worked out how to close out tough games. Right from up front to out wide, I think we are a well-balanced team.

"We showed that today, whereas I think Dunedin's strengths were more in one place.''

That place was up front. Dunedin has a mighty scrum and its big pack battled hard.

Openside flanker Hame Toma - or haematoma - produced another bruising performance.

He made some crunching tackles and some punishing runs and did not deserve to be on the losing side.

Sharks skipper Mark Grieve-Dunn had his arm resting in a fold of his jersey after the game.

He has been nursing a shoulder injury and had nothing left to give at fulltime.

Front-rowers Sam Anderson-Heather and Donald Brighouse played their part as well.

Dunedin was a worthy finalist but in the final analysis the side was just too one-dimensional.

It stuck to its plan to grind the ball up the middle of the park until late in the game when the team trailed 26-15.

The Sharks then threw the ball around a bit more and Toma scored late to give his side some fleeting hope.

Kaikorai winger Matt Jones completed the scoring with a penalty to seal the victory.

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