The winning Dannevirke Sports Club Senior rugby squad.
Pic 2: BTG260721SR2 Caption: Flanker Trent Ransom leads a strong charge into the wind against equally strong COB defence.
Pic 3: BTG260721SR3 Caption: Dannevirke came close to scoring into the wind but were repelled.
Pic 4: BTG260721SR4 Caption: Prop Shay Ashworth wrestles the ball in the maul.
Pic 5: BTG260721SR5 Caption: No.10 Will Hand assisted by centre Mitch Nation tries to burst through the midfield.
Pic 6: BTG260721SR6 Caption: The referee about to award Dannevirke's first try.
By Dave Murdoch
It was a right old arm wrestle when Dannevirke Sports Club Seniors hosted the semifinal of the Manawatu Rugby Second Division against College Old Boys (COB).
Playing into a strong headwind in the first half, Dannevirke went into the half with the plan to control possession through its forwards using the pick-and-go to good effect, benefiting from COB mistakes in the ruck and maul that yielded a steady flow of penalties.
Unfortunately, unlike its scrum Dannevirke's lineout was pretty unreliable and COB were able to clear the ball with the wind deep into Dannevirke's half from which they launched forward and back drives.
This yielded a penalty early on to COB, but strong defence from the locals restricted further points and pressured the COB line until late in the first half when a try resulted from a COB flanker running the blind from a maul.
Turning with the wind and 10 points down Dannevirke applied the pressure, but resolute defence from COB kept their lead and the wind dropped reducing Dannevirke's advantage. It was Dannevirke's turn to be penalised at the maul too often and a real stalemate developed.
It was broken when a deep kick and forward drive had the Dannevirke pack over by the posts with a try to Shay Ashworth.
Converted by Will Hands, Dannevirke maintained pressure but a brilliant dropped goal by the COB No.10 gave it a 13-7 lead with 10 minutes to go.
Neither defence looked like folding – the finals spot was at stake.
Then in what might be the team's most important play this season, right winger Trent Conway intercepted a pass to run unopposed 50m to score under the posts, Will Hands converting to make it a one-pointer and five minutes to play.
The large crowd in the grandstand and Ruahine Club Rooms was on edge, but Dannevirke kept play down the new scoreboard end and a penalty in the last minute gave Dannevirke a 17-13 win.
Coach Nigel Scrimshaw was relieved and pleased things had gone to plan. "We won the game in the first half with our defence," he said, but the result was a long time coming.
Dannevirke lost one game in the whole season and qualified first in the semis earning a home game, and play Freyberg Old Boys in Palmerston North next Saturday to retain the cup.
Dannevirke Colts won convincingly over Dannevirke High School First Fifteen 54-7 in the curtain-raiser.
'The last two days have been pretty emotional. I’m just crushed by the whole experience.'