By the numbers
2002 results
Luke Herden talking about coach Glenn Moore’s prematch talk
anywhere on the field,’’ Fox said.
‘‘We had players who could beat defenders on the outside then link up with their support players, and we could score bloody good tries from anywhere.
‘‘It was pretty cool to be involved with, really. I’ve kept in touch with a good core of that team.’’
Fox took his leadership role seriously but said it was not hard to blend together the mix of cultures in the team.
He recalls the Dunedin players, in particular, being fascinated by how locals who were slogging away in a shearing shed or stock yards all day could turn around and train as if they were a professional.
Moore, who would go on to coach the Highlanders then win a World Cup with the Black Ferns, set the standard, Fox said.
‘‘Right through his tenure, it was just that professionalism that he developed within the union. He set the bar fairly high, but we always knew it was achievable.
‘‘We had to work hard but he also made sure we had time for fun as well.’’
Fox feels lucky to have played rugby in an era when he feels the game was more enjoyable.
‘‘In my mind, the game was easier to play back then. It’s a very technical game now.’’
The Old Golds would have plenty more success in the years that followed 2002 — they reached the semifinals of the old second division for three straight years, and won the new Meads Cup in 2007, 2010 and 2019.
But 2002 will always be a bit special.
Fox, Herden and about a dozen teammates will gather at the Valley club tonight to reminisce before attending tomorrow’s Heartland Championship game against HorowhenuaKapiti, a repeat of the 2002 final. beat Mid Canterbury 4316 (Hanan
Shield only) beat West Coast 606 beat South Canterbury 399 beat Buller 3815 beat HorowhenuaKapiti 400 beat Whanganui 737 beat Poverty Bay 4932 beat WairarapaBush 2714 beat King Country 2716
Semifinal: beat South Canterbury
5810
Final: beat HorowhenuaKapiti 4319
THE drought has broken, the eagle has landed — North Otago crossed its River Jordan into rugby’s promised land with its 4319 win over HorowhenuaKapiti at Centennial Park yesterday.
The journey to rugby respectability was made complete 40 years after another North Otago team achieved near immortality by defeating the touring Australians.
One cannot describe the elation and the emotion that surrounded North Otago’s effort, and it was not easy.
It led 189 at halftime and extended this to 219 a minute into the second half. But the enemy refused to lie down and within minutes it had stormed back to within two points of North Otago.
Then the foot went down and Pila Fifita and Fepikou Tatafu sent the enemy scurrying.
North Otago crossed its Red Sea, out of rugby slavery, when it made the 1997 final against Marlborough.
But then there were days in the wilderness as it succumbed to East Coast and South Canterbury in successive finals.
Moses and Joshua, in the form of Glenn Moore and Barry Matthews, raised the hands and yesterday the golds were victorious.
There were those who complained in the desert of the need to import players but it is a new time and a new era.
I wrote in 1997 of the climbing of the mountain and the viewing of the promised land.
The boys found out that there was more than one mountain to ascend and, at times, to players and supporters, that promised land appeared to be a mere mirage.
The mirage turned into reality yesterday afternoon.
It’s amazing what a catalyst for unity a game of rugby can be.
I’ve covered and played rugby in North Otago for nearly five decades. I’ve been through the lows and I suppose, in one way, the length of time away from the top makes yesterday’s victory sweeter.
Foxy, you and your boys have done for North Otago something that even Muldoon’s sheep retention scheme could not do.
It brought to all of us that wonderful feeling of utter satisfaction that comes simply from working hard and doing something superbly well. We are proud to bask in the reflected glory of your success.
And now, let’s look forward to second division. There will be new challenges and new mountains to climb and new deserts to cross. Now we’ve done it, it doesn’t look quite so difficult.
Today I’m a very proud man. Thanks, boys, for that.
❛ . . . more often than not he would just look at us and say, ‘Let’s go.’ That sent a shiver down the spine