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Luke de Villiers/LDV Photography
New Plymouth Old Boys celebrate winning the Taranaki premier club rugby title at Yarrow Stadium.
New Plymouth Old Boys captain Daniel Waite needed to contain himself after winning the Taranaki premier club rugby final at Yarrow Stadium on Saturday night.
It wasn’t because the club won its 18th title with a 26-12 win against Stratford-Eltham, but because the final ended up going for an extra 20 minutes.
The match was tied up 12-12 at full-time after an exhilarating 80-minutes before a crowd of 3500 people under lights.
Both teams scored two tries and slotted a conversion each.
It was the first time a final went into extra time since Tukapa and Eltham-Kaponga were locked up at 24-all in 2001. Tukapa went on to win 40-32.
“I’m exhausted,” a visibly tired Waite said after the match.
“It was a massive effort from the boys, massive effort from Stratford-Eltham. They’re a team that deserve to hold the trophy too, but I’m grateful we ended up getting the job done though.”
Waite couldn’t enjoy the celebrations after the match as he left for Japan that evening to take up a playing contract.
Luke de Villiers/LDV Photography/Stuff
New Plymouth Old Boys captain Daniel Waite celebrates scoring a try in the final against Stratford-Eltham at Yarrow Stadium.
Despite the win, Old Boys would have been disappointed with their performance, as they missed some good touches with some mediocre play, but they deserved their championship title after an unbeaten season of 16 games.
Stratford-Eltham pulled a legal but shrewd ploy of de-powering the scrum late in the game after they were on the back foot all day.
Despite the depowered scrums, Old Boys finished better with two tries in extra-time to Rowan Slater and Michael Loft.
Waite said both teams had heroic defence and the winner was decided by which side was going to break the line first.
“They were giving us nothing when we were hitting away at them, but it came down to a few big moments in the game.”
Stratford-Eltham’s back three didn’t fire after showing immense threat all season.
LDV Photography
New Plymouth Old Boys coach Michael Carr talks to his players as the final headed into extra time at Yarrow Stadium.
New Taranaki rep Willem Ratu’s casualness on defence nearly resulted in one try while fellow wing Eresoma Nabuka proved a much more lethal threat with ball in hand.
While many would have expected the outside backs to score Stratford-Eltgham’s tries they ended up going to front rowers Jordan McFarlane and Harry Hansen.
Rocky Olsen looked promising running freely, but had a low percentage off the kicking tee, including a missed penalty in the second half. It was the same for Old Boys’ Brayton Northcott-Hill as both kickers failed to find touch at key moments.
Waite said the conditions were harder than it looked with dew developing on the ground and a westerly breeze coming across the field.
It was also a proud moment for the Waite family. Not only did Daniel score in the first half, but his brother Shaan played in his 100th match for Old Boys.
In other results, Southern beat Old Boys in the division one final 23-11, Kaitake won their third consecutive division two title beating Pātea 18-10 and Inglewood were crowned the colts champions with a 20-13 win against Stratford-Eltham.
New Plymouth Old Boys 26 (Mitch O’Neill, Daniel Waite, Rowan Slater, Michael Loft, tries; Brayton Northcott-Hill con, Daniel Waite 2 con) Stratford-Eltham 12 (Harry Hansen, Jordan McFarlane, tries; Rocky Olsen con).
– This content has been brought to you by Sport News Taranaki.
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