Late drama in both semifinals as COB, Varsity progress to Hankins Shield final

Varsity will have to keep a lid on College Old Boys’ fullback Jayden Keelan if they are to win their first Hankins Shield since 2016.

Keelan’s brilliance and a brain snap from Kia Toa with time up in Saturday’s semifinal led to COB qualifying for their second straight final with a 34-31 win at the Arena.

Old Boys-Marist had won the Jubilee Cup and Centennial Shield for winning the first two rounds, but not the Hankins Shield they coveted for the first time since 2017. A reinforced Varsity, the fourth qualifiers, despatched the men from the Vatican 22-21 thanks to a last-minute long-range try from Varsity fullback Logan Henry.

They were two crackerjack semifinals, but Kias will for many years long remember their forwards’ decision not to take a penalty shot with time up from dead in front, instead they tapped to burrow for the win and were turned over. Had they banked the three points to go to 34-all, they would’ve had 10 minutes of extra time each way.

COB skipper Jared Goodson couldn’t believe it.

“I wasn’t about to shout it out to them,” he said.

COB last met Varsity in the 2012 final when Aaron Good’s COB won 34-20.

“We haven’t seen the strongest Varsity team all year,” said Goodson. “We always go close with them.”

In last year’s final win over OBM, COB had a weapon in former Turbo Andre Taylor. This time they have Keelan who cut up Kias for the opening 18 minutes and gassed over for an early try after a Kias exit blunder as COB raced to 13-0.

“You can’t kick to Jayden,” Goodson said. “He won the best-and-fairest; he’s the best player in the competition.”

Two kicks decided the semifinal. The first was a 50-22 kick with the wind behind from first-five Jack Eschenbach, which led to huge pressure in the second half as COB came back from 24-16 down.

The other was a misguided Kias kick near the end which Keelan fielded and from 40 metres he chipped and scored to help tie the game up at 31-all.

Kias probably should have won through their gargantuan, imperious forward pack with prop Ben Schuster, flanker DJ Taoipu and especially Turbo Ofa Tauatevalu, with his carries, all rampaging. When they got on a roll in the sloppy mud, the smaller COB men just hung on and watched their lead evaporate.

Two injuries were key; for COB who lost prop Jeremiah Saua and Manawatū flanker Elyjah Crosswell (ribs), both probably out this week, and to Tauatevalu after 60 minutes with calf cramps. He had shut COB out of the lineouts.

Eschenbach kicked 19 points and he used the wind better than Kia Toa did, which proved to be key.

Varsity produced their own version of the try from the end of the world to stun Old Boys-Marist 22-21 in the other semifinal.

OB-Marist looked to have the match in the bag when Varsity centre Kaoru Tsurota spilt the ball near halfway in referee’s time.

But rather than boot the ball into touch to end the game, OBM halfback Hunter Waller’s clearance veered infield, bouncing 50m down field into the Varsity in-goal with referee Amon Rimene calling “advantage over”.

Varsity fullback Sam Coles escaped his in-goal, leaving nearly 100m between Varsity and a place in the Hankins Shield final.

In their slickest attacking movement of the game, the sky blues found space and OBM were left to helplessly watch as Logan Henry streaked the final 70m to score.

It is the second consecutive season the top qualifiers have failed to reach the final. Last season it was Varsity, who had set the tone all season, who stumbled to eventual champions College Old Boys.

The match was a tight tussle fitting of finals rugby. OB-Marist looked to have their noses in front with Aidan Champion winning the battle of the first fives and the likes of Matene Ruawai, Rhys Pedersen and Brad Fountain having big games in the forwards.

Varsity were buoyed by the return of front rower Nick Grogan, who scored their first try, and lock Mickey Woolliams, with the duo making their presence felt at the breakdown.

With limited scoring opportunities, Henry’s boot helped Varsity claim a 17-15 lead at the break.

Varsity had the benefit of Moses Armstrong-Ravula and Josh Taula adding punch from the bench. Prop Flyn Yates, who was injured in the warm-up, also rallied to add to the side in the second half.

OBM dominated the scrums in the second half before Yates’ introduction and looked set to strike when Coles was yellow carded for cynical offside on the tryline.

But the Varsity defence was resolute, restricting OBM to move the scoreboard in multiples of three.

OBM’s defence was equally strong as they starved Varsity of any scoring opportunities.

They pulled away to 21-17 lead which appeared would be enough to seal the match, even with hooker Chris Cairns yellow carded for a high tackle.

As the clock expired, they left the door open for Varsity who took their opportunity in the final play.

Varsity 22 (Nick Grogan, Logan Henry tries; Henry 4 pen) OB-Marist 21 (Matene Ruawai, Leighton Osgood tries; Aidan Champion con, 3 pen) HT: 17-15.

College OB 34 (Jayden Keelan 2, Timoci Seruwalu, tries; Jack Eschenbach 5 pen, 2 con) Kia Toa 31 (Trent Reti 2, Tone Fau’olo, Malua Mauola; tries; Alex Boblea 4 con, pen) HT: 16-24.

Club finals:

Senior one: College OB v Varsity, Arena 1, 2.45pm.

Senior two: Feilding Old Boys-Ōroua v College OB, Arena 1, 12.45pm.

Senior three: Bunnythorpe v Massey Vets, Arena 3, 12.45pm.

Colts: College Old Boys v Feilding, Arena 4, 12.45pm.

Presidents: Bulls v Foxton, Arena 3, 2.45pm.