Hamilton Old Boys hold off Southern
Southern United came close to springing a surprise upset against Hamilton Old Boys at Fred Jones Park on Saturday.
Old Boys won 29-24 in round nine of Waikato premier club rugby to finish second on the ladder before points are reset for the new premiership and championship competitions that begin next weekend.
They just missed out on finishing top to win the Ron Crawford Memorial trophy because of Ciarahn Matoe’s clutch penalty for Hautapu, who snatched a 19-17 victory at Melville at the death.
Old Boys had trailed 17-5 after Southern grabbed two intercept tries through Bryce McMullen and Kane Adams in the first half, but they fought back to score 24 unanswered points for victory number seven.
Southern’s defeat - their eighth - is their final act before dropping to the championship with Te Awamutu Sports.
But the men from Tokoroa pro-
duced probably their best display of the season against Waikato’s most successful club.
Southern’s scrum was dominant and it reaped the rewards when they turned and rolled Old Boys before Zane Costar touched down with five minutes left, the score at 29-24.
Old Boys were hanging on but their lineout stood tall in the closing stages under Southern’s pressure, with Rupeni Tamani particularly strong in the air.
Southern led 10-0 thanks to Adams’ boot and the first of two intercept scores when fullback McMullen ran 70 metres unopposed before dotting down.
Mungo Mason scored Old Boys’ first try before lighting struck twice, as Adams gathered another loose pass before dashing clear to finish under the posts.
Old Boys responded as halfback Raniera Takarangi scored two tries to level the scores at 17-17 by half-time.
Southern’s first five-eighth Adams missed two penalties before the break and Old Boys went ahead for the first time on the hour through Anthony Coffey, who scored after his opposite winger, Taiapina Watene, had blown a certain try.
Another clinical Old Boys move down the right finished with Tamani strolling over, before Costar’s score made the contest a five-point ball game in the final minutes. But Old Boys just held on and await Monday’s draw for the premiership and championship fixtures.
Hautapu claimed the Ron Crawford Memorial trophy with their 19-17 victory at Melville after finishing top - but only due to superior bonus points with Old Boys, Otorohanga and Fraser Tech beneath them in second, third and fourth respectively.
Otorohanga won their fifth successive match with five tries enough to hold off United Matamata Sports 27-23 at Island Reserve. Fraser Tech came from 24-10 down to beat Te Awamutu 42-24 and Hamilton Marist scored 10 tries to thrash University 69-0.