Jermaine Pepe.
Take note of that name.
The University fullback dodged tacklers like they were chasing him with chainsaws.
He set up two second-half tries to help his side tip up Kaikorai 28-21 at Bishopscourt on Saturday.
Openside flanker Jack McHugh had a huge game as well. He ripped the ball free from prop Sef Fa’agase to stymie any chance the home side had of mounting a late comeback.
Other than that he was just everywhere — everywhere that is but the monstrous 37-man Otago squad.
Staggering he was overlooked really.
And Giovanni Leituala had a superb game with the boot.
He drilled five of his six attempts and was really solid in the middle of the field.
But back to Pepe.
Kaikorai led 14-9 at the break. But Pepe got the ball in the opening exchanges of the second spell and weaved his way around opponents and then hit the gas when he found the sideline.
The cover got to him but not before he got the pass inside to Kieran McClea who in turn found halfback Graham Urquhart who scored.
Kaikorai fell further behind when lock Hadleigh Morgan crashed over from close range.
But the killer blow came from another astonishing run from Pepe. With his side pinned deep in its 22, he scooped up an awkward pass and dashed 85m, leaving countless opponents in his wake.
Kudos to Kaikorai. A desperate defender eventually got to him but McClea was on his shoulder again and just had to catch and score.
Kaikorai responded through a penalty try but could not find the equaliser and bowed out of the competition.
Southern 7 Taieri 5
The smile on Southern coach Luke Herden's face said it all after his team took the fight to table-topping Taieri and came away with a hard-fought 7-5 victory at Peter Johnstone Park on Saturday.
It may have been the underdog, but Southern brought to the game the word “belief” as an invisible 16th man on the field in its knockout match against favourite and top qualifier Taieri.
The game was a bruising encounter from the outset, with first-rate defence from both sides sure to have team trainers and physiotherapists working overtime in the coming days. The packs from both sides standing tall in shutting down threats and exploring opportunities on attack. Attempts to penetrate the midfield by either side were met with stern resistance.
Tensions were high and, at one stage, referee James Doleman asked a Taieri supporter to leave the ground because of what the supporter said on the sideline.
The spectator left and the game continued.
For the home team, Nick Henderson gave another outstanding captain’s performance from No 8, while front rowers Tom Hill and Brady Robertson also stood out in a well-drilled pack.
Southern was also well served by captain Jermayne Maika and fellow lock Rewi Pomare as well as its loose forward trio of Tofatuimoana Solia, Brad Horne and Mika Mafi.
Harbour 13 Dunedin 10
Logan Allen was not even in New Zealand when club rugby was scheduled to start in Dunedin this year.
But he came to the fore on Saturday when his team won the game against Dunedin at Kettle Park on Saturday.
Allen was in Brisbane in late March as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
He returned to New Zealand and then eventually headed south from his home in the Waikato-King Country area.
He has been steady for Harbour all season but was simply sensational in the last play of the game in Saturday’s nail-biter.
Harbour received a penalty on the 50m line, about 20m in from touch, with the scores locked up at 10-10.
It was a lengthy kick but Allen had no hesitation going for goal. He struck it sweetly and it sailed between the posts, giving Harbour the win.
As the score suggested, the match was even throughout.
Harbour nabbed a penalty try in the opening minutes.
Dunedin captain and lock Mark Grieve-Dunn was yellow-carded for a shoulder charge in a tackle in the first couple of minutes. Harbour swept down the field and had a scrum under the posts. It was marching towards the line when the scrum wheeled and referee Caleb Neilson ruled a penalty try.
The 7-0 scoreline remained well into the second half before Allen scored a penalty.
Dunedin finally woke up on the hour mark. After Allen kicked the ball out on the full, the home team went on the attack and second five-eighth Keegan Christian-Goss scored. He was in again with five minutes left to set up some tense last final minutes.
Aleki Morris-Lome impressed for Harbour in his first game back from injury while Taylor Dale was all over the park in the first half and halfback Nathan Hastie showed some good touches.
Grieve-Dunn, in what could be his last game at this level, was strong as were prop Sepa Vaka and lock Ben Freshchini.
Both backlines cancelled each other out.
- ODT rugby writers