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Well, we were on tenterhooks all season just to have a repeat of last year’s final — really. But you can’t argue with the fact, the last three weeks of the season is about winning, not style or form leading into it. Kaik and wildcards Harbour have played winning rugby when it mattered and deserve their spot in the ‘‘big dance’’ at the Greenhouse tomorrow.
Harbour, with their big pack, stuck to their knitting and shut Varsity down in the set pieces and with a plethora of possession were never going to lose. The big surprise was at lineout time where Harbour completely dominated against the tallest lineout in the comp led by Tinnock and Townsend. The Hawks stole six of their lineouts, superbly led by Taylor Dale. Rique Miln kept the ball in front of his forwards and they finished off their chances out wide when they had to with Wiremu Brailey grabbing a brace.
Out at a sodden Eelpit, Kaik were all over Taieri and led 20-3 at the break. Jake Hill and Jake Fowler were a menace out wide for Kaik and Ben Miller just keeps kicking goals. But Taieri stormed back into the game in the second spell and got it back to 20-15, spurred on by their fanatical supporters. They belted Kaik up front at scrum time and with the clock winding down forced three 5m scrums but somehow managed to butcher them all and Kaik survived to have a chance to go back to back.
Down on the farm
In the Deep South it was 28-28 between the Eastern North Barbarians and Pirates Old Boys at fulltime in the Galbraith Shield match, so into extra time they went. The Baabaas have been the dominant team all year and scored two tries in that period to lock away the shield for the summer — justly deserved lads.
In the South, Clutha won narrowly over Heriot but both sides made the semis with Clutha finishing top and Heriot squeaking into fourth, much to the horror of Clutha Valley. Toko and West Taieri both won and they will play each other in the other semi at the Market Garden in Outram.
In Central, the Maggots just got up over Alex to take fourth spot in the semis and tomorrow play Upper Clutha, who had an unconvincing win over Wakatip at the weekend. Cromwell will host Wakatip in the other semi.
In the north there were no games due to the weather but Valley play Old Boys in one semi and Athies and Excelsior in the other.
I’m pretty grumpy
Well, I am most of the time anyway. I alluded to Otago bringing in a loosehead prop from the Western Force to replace Abraham Pole and that has now come to pass. As I said last week, Otago have been doing a far better job of creating pathways for local players over the last few years then they turn round and do this. I understand this guy might be a promising young loosehead from Australia but why are we giving him the opportunity? What’s wrong with the looseheads we have in town? Otunuku from Southern, for example, who plays prop and hooker and is one of the best ball carriers in the comp. We are just getting this stuff wrong and I’m sure a lot of club coaches and supporters would agree. From a commercial point of view local players put club bums on seats.
The hiatus is over!
After what seems like months the other grades in town resume this weekend. It’s play-off footy in Prem 2s this weekend as we hit the quarterfinals. Taieri take on Varsity, Kaik are at home to Harbour and GI host Varsity at the Toolbox. They’re still playing round robin games in seniors. In colts, unbelievably there are four round robin games to go and they don’t finish till August 22 — patently ridiculous. The women’s prem grade has a couple of weeks to run in round robin with the final on August 8.
Some questions
Up in the North the question everybody is asking is who will Old Boys be bringing in for this weekend’s semi against Valley? They brought in a new player last week and it wouldn’t surprise if they had another ‘‘mystery guest’’ this weekend as it looks like they’ve been given a free rein by the ‘‘NO Heavies’’.
In the South, there are disturbing rumours that more than one club may struggle to field a team next year. Lawrence are defaulting tomorrow but only for a meaningless bottom four game. Clinton have had a tough year and conceded an eye-watering number of points last weekend. It’s tough in the South as the sheep farms are rapidly disappearing to dairy and forestry so the jobs are disappearing for the aspiring farm workers. I hope the clubs can survive.
The last big question: is Kaik linchpin Ben Miller under an injury cloud with a broken thumb and touch and go to play tomorrow? Strap it up, mate, you’ve got two thumbs.
The last big question is are we back next week? Yes we are. We’ll preview the country finals, pick our form XV for the year plus our highlights. We’ll try to attempt the dreaded ‘‘report card’’ but it will be a challenge with so many grades still going.
This weekend
Unbelievably went down to Moana Takataka (but he had outside help) last weekend so plenty to play for in our last hitout in town. I’m taking on two of Dunedin’s leading publicans in Mark Scully from the Alehouse and Chris Hart and he’s got so many pubs I don’t know where to start. Rest assured they won’t have done much research as they are not the hardest workers known to man so I’ll bounce back with a commanding ‘‘last hurrah’’ victory.
Of course there is only one game and it’s Kaik v Harbour at the Greenhouse at 3pm tomorrow. Make sure you get along but if you can’t, don’t panic. The ODT will come to your rescue once again. We are live-streaming the final (odt.co.nz) with live commentary from PD, OB and Piper so I apologise in advance.
So who wins? It is a repeat of last year’s final which Kaik won 46-41 in an absolute thriller. It will be a case of Harbour’s big pack versus the fleet-footed Kaik backs that have wowed the crowds this year. They’ll love every minute of the stadium and will try to run the big Harbour forwards off their feet. I’ve unfathomably got a feeling that this could finally be Harbour’s year (not like England at the World Cup) and the Harbour pack, led by Elton, Dale and Taufa and backed up by first five Rique Miln, finally prevail. Harbour (12-), you heard it here first.
In the country I drew with ‘‘Potter’’ last week and as you know I win all draws. Up against Blair ‘‘Tubby’’ Young, the 300-game man from Heriot, this weekend so I’m pretty confident of nailing it. Clutha take on Heriot for the second week in a row but this time in the capital city so they make no race of it as they are back to full strength. Clutha (13+).
In the other semi between West Taieri and the prison guards from Toko I’m sniffing the upset as the lads from Milton slam the cell door on the market gardening pigs. Toko (13+).