The Old Golds ran in nine tries to beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 64-47 and lift the Lochore Cup to wrap up their Heartland Championship campaign yesterday.
It was a great spectacle for the passionate home crowd at Maheno, who were treated to a plethora of well-worked team tries mixed with individual brilliance to cap off the year.
No-one was prouder than North Otago coach Luke Herden.
"I’m just really happy for the boys. They deserve to get something out of the season," Herden said.
"They played like we played all year, scored some great tries, played some great rugby and also kept the other team in it."
Old Golds lock Epineri Logavatu jumped over a messy ruck on the try line to open proceedings inside three minutes.
Japanese halfback Kippei Taninaka flew over for his first soon after for a 14-0 lead.
Then it was the visitors’ turn. Mikaere Harvey and Dallas Wiki bustled over to level.
Winger Joeli Rauca put his foot down for a runaway intercept try and suddenly Horowhenua led.
After a long buildup the Old Golds returned fire when Ben McCarthy finished off a fine team effort to level 19-19 heading into halftime.
But the Old Golds really came to life.
Centre Matia Qiolevu put fullback Ben Paton through a gap, who held the ball up to draw the covering defence wide to score a stunning opener.
Minutes later, Horowhenua went to exit running it out of their 22 when rangey blindside Mitch Morton picked off the ball. He ran in an intercept try to extend the Old Golds lead 33-19.
That brought the crowd to life as they started to believe their team could lift the trophy.
They were not done yet.
Off the back of a strong scrum, the ball found its way to second five Tini Feke.
He put in a grubber and Paton chased it down to score his second.
But they let visitors back in it when Rauca ran in his second for Horowhenua to trail 43-33.
McCarthy — who was tidy off the tee all game — banged over a penalty to restore a 10-point buffer.
The winger was back in the thick of it when he charged down Horowhenua’s exit.
Flanker Toni Taufa, as always, was hard to put down and had a strong carry to start a great passage of play.
The ball was recycled through several hands to the other side of the field. Qiolevu drew in the defence and put winger Seva Druma in space to finish.
They strung another brilliant team try, featuring offload after offload and Taninaka reached out to add another.
Suddenly they had a healthy 57-33 lead.
Horowhenua scored, but North Otago were not finished.
Horowhenua knocked it on from the kickoff and the Old Golds pounced.
Replacement halfback Seru Cavuilati put the ball on a dime for Qiolevu, who hit it at pace, juggled it and regathered to finish.
Horowhenua scored a late constellation try.
Lochore Cup final
The scores
North Otago 64
Kippei Taninaka 2, Ben Paton 2, Epineri Logavatu, Ben McCarthy, Mitch Morton, Seva Druma, Matia Qiolevu tries; McCarthy 7 con, pen, Clunie con.
Horowhenua-Kapiti 47
Mikaere Harvey 2, Joeli Rauca 2, Dallas Wiki, Jeremy David, Jayson Aquila tries; Rory Woollett 2 con, Thomas Barnsley 4 con.
Halftime: 19-19.
