The Kia Toa Tigers beat Cooks RLC 48-12 at Kensington Oval on Saturday, winning the Zulu Taia and Manuel Thompson Memorial Trophy.
The Tigers have been building back into form in recent weeks, and this win was important not only for getting their hands on the trophy that the two sides have not contested since 2007, but also for taking momentum into the last three rounds of the Otago competition.
Koben Katipa, Shane Unahi and Apii Taia were instrumental to the Tigers' efforts as their defensive work kept Cooks at bay and their ball running provided some serious momentum going forward.
On the back of the platform that was set, standoffs Vila Apuula and Taua Piri directed the backline well to ensure both edges were threatening.
Apuula played a hand in six of the Tigers' tries, proving yet again that he is one of the best halves in the competition. Josh Kent benefited from the opportunities being created and scored four tries in a strong performance.
The Tigers put on their best defensive display of the season so far, limiting a strong Cooks outfit to just 12 points. This performance has certainly revived the Tigers' season and they will take plenty of confidence into the coming weeks.
University travelled south to meet the Cowboys at Elles Rd and was outclassed 68-12.
University went into the match carrying just one reserve; injuries and player commitments have hampered the side in recent weeks. The injury concerns worsened when second rower Jong Hoon suffered a knee injury in the first hit-up of the game.
In the early stages of the match, the Cowboys' forwards attacked the edges and used their support runners well to gain ascendancy.
The battle against a strong Cowboys outfit was proving immensely difficult, and University's task was made more challenging when three further injuries took players from the field, leaving it with just 10 men for a majority of the second half. The Cowboys adapted their game plan to suit the circumstances and exploited the gaps well to get their strong ball runners across the try line.
University's resilience was tested and, in trying circumstances, key players fronted with strong performances. Hamiora Ngatoro returned to the side and had an impact in the middle of the field with some avid defending and good running of the ball, which was evident when he pushed over to score a try. John Fulton was another with an impressive work rate, coming in from stand-off to take a lot of hit-ups to give his forwards some respite.
Ultimately, the Cowboys were a class above and they maintained dominance throughout the encounter.
Disappointingly, both the Winton Warlords and East Coast Eagles decided to default their games at the weekend, handing victories to the South Pacific Raiders and He Tauaa.
