Otago Metro North made it two from two in the Tuppy Diack Shield as they fired in the second half to beat Otago Country 27-21 in a passionate and physical game in Lawrence on Saturday.
Metro looked slick in the early stages and took the lead inside 10 minutes.
A turnover just over halfway led to Metro’s backs finding space out wide and first five Charlie Breen opening their account.
Joe Cockburn added the extras in what was Metro’s only foray into Otago Country territory for the next 20 minutes.
Country hit their straps and managed to apply plenty of pressure on Metro’s defensive line, and a try out wide to hooker Sam Wyber narrowed the gap.
With the half coming to a close, Metro threw one last attack together, but a pass was picked off by Country midfielder Tyler Ford, who showed a clean pair of heels to run 80m to score under the posts.
The successful conversion made the score 18-7 to Country at halftime.
Metro had a point to prove in the second half and controlled the early stages.
Their forward runners carried with purpose and were rewarded for their toil when halfback Oliver Thode crossed from close range.
Thode was in the action again shortly after when he was yellow-carded for a professional foul that stopped Country scoring a try.
Country could not make the numerical advantage count and Metro, aided by some firepower off the bench, scored two
late tries through centre Jake Fowler.
Metro will be happy with the way they fought back, largely thanks to some mighty impact off the bench.
Prop Charles Engelbrecht was one to put his hand up in the tight.
Otago Country paid the price for some poor clearances in the second half as Metro’s outside backs made hay against a tiring defensive line.
In the other Tuppy Diack game, Southland Metro beat Southland Country 31-20 in Otautau.
Fletcher Morgan scored two tries and kicked three conversions for Southland Metro.
— The club rugby season in Dunedin wrapped up on Saturday as Kaikorai and Dunedin faced in the two colts finals.
They determined which club was to win the Ainge Shield, which represents the top club in the city with points based on the best four sides in each club.
In the first final, for the under-21 junior colts championship, the Kaikorai Undertakers dominated the second half into the stiff breeze to win 17-11.
The Dunedin Hammerheads frittered away the use of the elements in the second half, and gave up numerous penalties with ill-discipline.
In the big game of the day, the premier colts final between the Dunedin Mako and the Kaikorai Devils went down to the wire in an absorbing encounter.
Kaikorai led by two at the break with the wind behind them, though the Mako looked the better side.
The Devils then played well into the conditions and led 15-11 with the clock winding down. But the Mako were not to be denied their seventh straight title when they scored a late converted try to win 18-15.
Kaikorai got the consolation, though, as they took the Ainge Shield off Dunedin by two points to wrap up a great season for the club.
— Francis Parker and Paul Dwyer
