Butcher Boys leave it late before ending brave Buller’s tilt
Wanganui stamped their authority as the powerhouse of the Heartland Championship with a fifth Meads Cup win, albeit by the closest of margins.
The Butcher Boys took 75 minutes to get past a brave Buller 20-18 at Cooks Gardens yesterday.
The country’s smallest union had two late chances to send the game into extra time but the usually reliable left foot of James Lash pushed both attempts wide.
Three weeks earlier Wanganui had beaten Buller 28-0 but the final was a totally different affair, with Buller dominating at times.
Only twice in 11 years have the Butcher Boys not appeared in the championships finale.
It was Buller’s second three years in the final.
For Wanganui, captain Peter Rowe had a strong game in his last outing for the province.
Rowe said neither loss side in left anything out on the paddock and he congratulated Buller for their efforts.
‘‘We just kept believing. It was everything a final should be.’’
Lock Gavin Thornbury impressed in the pack as did No 8 Malakai Volau.
In the backs, wing Te Rangatira Waitokia looked dangerous at times, while Lindsay Horrocks and veteran Craig Clare delivered when it mattered.
Buller’s best were loose forwards Daniel Hytongue and Blair McIlroy, while 42-year-old prop Phil Beveridge never took a backward step.
Lash was outstanding in general play while centre Joshua Tuidriva and fullback Anthony Tailua also put in excellent performances.
Buller started brightly and went on to dominate the first half statistics, but ended tied 10-10 at half time.
Buller couldn’t have scripted a better start after the break when a wide Lash pass found Tailua, who stepped his marker brilliantly to score, with Lash adding the extras.
Wanganui came straight back and were denied a try for a truck and trailer movement.
Buller’s defence then held tight until the 60th minute thanks to impressive line speed and Wanganui’s repeated poor handling.
Clare’s successful penalty reduced the margin to six points, the value of a try in the Heartland Championships.
Lash then tried to restore Buller’s lead but his second drop goal attempt was wide.
Wanganui, however, recovered and after a number of phases big lock Gavin Thornbury scored and Clare’s conversion put them in front with eight minutes left.
With four minutes to go Wanganui were penalised for not releasing the ball but the usually reliable Lash missed the kick to tie the game and botched a second chance, to allow Wanganui to claim back-to-back crowns.
Earlier, underdogs North Otago destroyed defending champions King Country 44-22 to lift the Lochore Cup yesterday.
In Te Kuiti, a creative North Otago side punished King Country mistakes and deserved their six tries-to-three win.
It would have been a disappointing day for King Country’s favourite son, All Blacks legend Sir Colin Meads, who watched his old team along with Sir Brian Lochore from the stand.
Meads, 80, was diagnosed pancreatic cancer this year.