Mitre 10 Cup Championship and Heartland Finals

MITRE 10 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL IN DUNEDIN

NORTH HARBOUR 17-14 OTAGO

North Harbour will return to New Zealand rugby’s top flight courtesy of a last-minute drop goal from 5/8 Bryn Gatland.

As in last week’s semi final, Harbour were on the wrong side of almost every match stat but unlike last week they trailed early, Otago wing Fa’asiu Fuatai scoring on the left wing in just the second minute after featuring on the right wing earlier in the movement. Harbour were reduced to 14 men at the 14 minute mark after flanker Glenn Preston collapsed a maul. In his absence Harbour wing Tevita Li reprised his try-from-nothing semi final effort with a run and offload to his centre Michael Little (son of All Black great Walter) who somehow managed to get the ball over the line. He may have benefited from the Assistant Referee obscuring the TMO’s view of where his feet were in relation to the sideline but the try was well deserved as he still had plenty of work to do after receiving Little’s offload. Gatland gave Harbour the lead with a penalty two minutes short of half time, and extended it to 11-7 shortly before the siren.

A third Gatland penalty extended the lead to 14-7 almost immediately after the resumption. Otago then levelled the scores through lock Tom Franklin after a good kick-chase forced a turnover. The TMO was called in again but confirmed that Little had kicked the ball out of Franklin’s grasp after he had grounded it. 5/8 Fletcher Smith landed the difficult conversion but his replacement Scott Eade missed opportunities to break the stalemate in the 66th and 73rd minutes. With time running out Harbour launched a series of drives, clearly setting up for the drop goal. Otago knew it was coming but weren’t able to get to Gatland quickly enough to prevent him from nailing the goal with less than ten seconds on the clock. Otago had time to restart but Harbour won the final ruck of the match and Gatland launched the ball into the stands before being mobbed by his teammates.

This is North Harbour’s first trophy since winning Division Two in 1987 and first final since 1994, the spiteful “Battle of the Bridge” Division One which they lost to Auckland.

North Harbour 17 (Michael Little try; Bryn Gatland 3 pen, dg)

Otago 14 (Fa’asiu Fuata’i, Tom Franklin tries; Fletcher Smith 2 con).

HT: 11-7.

HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP: MEADS CUP FINAL IN WHANGANUI

WANGANUI 20-18 BULLER

Wanganui retained the Meads Cup but were made to work hard for it by a Buller side who, with nothing to lose and having already exceeded the expectations of everyone but themselves, competed strongly from first whistle to last. It was quite the turnaround, Wanganui having won the pool play match 28-0.

Wanganui 20 (Gavin Thornbury, Craig Clare tries, Clare 2 con, 2 pen)

Buller 18 (Anthony Tailua 2 tries, James Lash 2 con, pen)

HT:10-10

Match Report Here 

This is Wanganui’s fifth Meads Cup and together with their three Division Three titles underlines their standing as New Zealand rugby’s leading amateur province. Only a tiny population (less than 50,000 district-wide) and consequent lack of resources keeps them locked in Heartland rugby and looked upon as a feeder team by neighbours Taranaki and Manawatu, among others.

HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP: LOCHORE CUP FINAL IN TE KUITI

NORTH OTAGO 44-22 KING COUNTRY

Sir Colin (left) wasn’t well enough to travel to the Meads Cup final and even catching up with his great friend Sir Brian at the Lochore Cup final was probably of little consolation as his once mighty King Country were flogged by unfancied North Otago.

North Otago 44 (Robbie Smith, Filipo Veamatahau, Maene Mapusaga, Simon Lilicama, Matthew Vocea, Craig Smith tries, Josh Casey 4con)

King Country 14 (Sam Mason try, James Hemara, Anthony Wisetries, Zayn Tipping pen, con)

HT 24-8

Match Report Here 

This is North Otago’s third ever title after winning Division Two in 2002 and the Meads Cup in 2010.