Star looked certain to win when it led 23-7 with 7min remaining but Woodlands scored three late tries to steal victory.
Woodlands went from Plan B after a suspension and injuries during the week to Plan C on Saturday morning when Curtis and Cole Williams were stuck in airports along with Ricky Baker. A couple of the players from the B team were promoted for the day and coach Richard Jones himself stripped in the 22 jersey.
“It has been eight years since I played and I had no intention of going on,” Jones said.
Jones and assistant Dan Cavanagh were proud of the team.
"It was pretty special.
"They all dug deep. The pack in general was superb."
Regular fullback Kieran Lee had to play at first five-eighth.
"Kieran handled the pressure superbly; it was a special performance from him."
Star started the the better and Ben Pope kicked a couple of penalty goals.
After 20 minutes Star halfback Hayden Edgely scored a converted try when he pounced on a Woodlands loose ball from a lineout close to the line.
Lee looked dangerous every time he touched the ball and scored a converted try.
Lock Caleb Aperahama and No8 Charles Alaimalo made numerous hit-ups.
The Woodlands scrum was dominant and the pack looked likely to barge over before halftime but Star held out.
Trailing 13-7, Woodlands controlled the 10 minutes after the resumption. Ben Pope’s punting got Star out of trouble several times and Pope kicked his third penalty goal with 20min remaining.
It did not look good for Woodlands when Jason Rutledge uncharacteristically made a couple of crooked throws to the lineout.
Following a trademark burst from Jordan Stewart, Star centre Joel Findlay scored under the posts.
With Star leading 23-7, a Greg Pleasants-Tate turnover inside the last 10 minutes should have broken Woodlands’ spirit but instead it was inspired to attack. Kieran Lee beat two men and dotted down behind the posts.
The conversion missed, which meant Woodlands still needed two more tries in five minutes.
The Woodlands forwards rolled back down the paddock, using their one-off-the-ruck ball runners and Joe Walsh scored a converted try.
In the last play of the game Woodlands put more than 30 phases together before Lee cut through to score the match-winner.
Lock Caleb Aperahama had a huge work-rate, and props Joe Walsh and Chris Barrett were good at scrum time and in general play. Halfback Ian De Reuck impressed with his passing and Kieran Lee deserved his hat-trick of tries.
By season’s end Woodlands’ makeshift backline was missing six players who had NPC experience.
Jones said Woodlands had used 35 players this year.
"Cabbage [Jason Rutledge] has been unreal this year. He’s a 43-year-old man the team would follow anywhere."
In the division one competition, Wyndham beat Edendale 26-10 in the Ack Soper Shield final.
Collegiate tipped up Mataura in the Gerald Dermody Shield final 29-24 at Tulloch Park.
In the senior women’s final, Marist beat Blues 46-15 in the curtain-raiser match at Rugby Park.
The division two semifinals, DLS beat Wakatipu 18-3 at Limehills and Te Anau had a 41-20 win at home against Star B.
- John Langford
