Eden celebrate their victory - Auckland Rugby Gallaher Shield Final - Grammar TEC v Eden held at Eden Park - Auckland. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Eden celebrate their victory - Auckland Rugby Gallaher Shield Final - Grammar TEC v Eden held at Eden Park - Auckland. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Eden 19 Grammar TEC 10
Eden have won their first Gallaher Shield title in their 99-year history with a dominant victory over Grammar TEC at Eden Park today, the final whistle bringing an outpouring of emotion from their players and supporters which is unlikely to be contained for several days.
The club, based a couple of clearing kicks away down Sandringham Road from the stadium, will celebrate long and hard and perhaps into next year's centenary celebrations after the men in black and yellow created history by playing to their strengths and for each other.
In truth, they have the perfect side to succeed in sudden death rugby and in weather conditions which featured driving wind and rain in the second half in particular. After dominating Ponsonby up front in their semifinal last weekend, Grammar TEC's players and supporters may have feared the worst after the first scrum today – a penalty for Eden – and that really was the story of the match.
With loosehead prop Franck Friconnet again at his destructive best, and the Costa brothers, halfback Nicolas and first-five Ignacio, driving Eden around the field, Grammar TEC were on the back foot early and while they kept in touch initially, were always going to struggle when going behind by nine points in the deteriorating weather.
Eden celebrate their victory - Auckland Rugby Gallaher Shield Final - Grammar TEC v Eden held at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
There was talk during the week of a fairy tale finish for a bunch of unheralded men without a senior representative contract between them, and who were ranked fourth after the round-robin, and they rose to the occasion in style.
"Look at the crowd," head coach David Bateman said afterwards as his team's supporters yelled themselves hoarse. "There are so many more Eden supporters than GTEC. And now we get to hold the Gallaher Shield for our centenary for the very first time. It's a different feeling. We're the holders now. I was getting messages from guys who played in the senior team in the 1950s. It's special.
"We've never made a final before but our theory was to keep it relaxed. I saw GTEC get off the bus and I thought they looked overawed. They had shirts printed for the occasion. We had no speeches. We kept it relaxed and the guys were smiling as they ran out. I think it worked."
Eden went to a 3-0 lead via Nicolas Costa and looked good for it. Grammar TEC tried to get their fast men into the game – and in particular Caleb Tangitau – and when they did they appeared threatening. It didn't happen enough; the weather and Eden's defence saw to that.
Eden players celebrate their victory - Auckland Rugby Gallaher Shield Final - Grammar TEC v Eden held at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
A bright moment was centre Heremaia Murray's try – he was the beneficiary of a breakout by fullback Burns Mills and Tangitau, but Jock McKenzie missed the difficult conversion attempt.
A yellow card for Grammar TEC's No8 Nelamatakaiongo for tackling Ignacio Costa in the air was a blow for his side and Eden capitalized via a converted try for excellent hooker Blake Hill who went over from a lineout drive to put his side back in charge.
Nicolas Costa added to Eden's 10-5 halftime lead with a penalty after the break but Grammar TEC threatened a comeback when Tangitau took advantage of McKenzie's cross kick. Alas for them, two more Costa penalties sealed the victory for Eden.
His brother, Ignacio, said: "That forward pack – we're dominant, but no one in our team is academy or Mitre 10 Cup. None of them are signed with Auckland. They're tough and they know what they're doing. We played for each other.
"We'll celebrate tonight but the next step is to be consistent and to stay with the other top teams.
Grammar TEC's skipper Liam Hallam-Eames, a lock, was one of his team's best.
Afterwards, before the celebrations really took off, he spoke of his respect for Eden's efforts. "No doubt about it – you guys outplayed us today."
Eden 19 (Blake Hill try; Nicolas Costa 4 pens, con) Grammar TEC 10 (Heremaia Murray, Caleb Tangitau tries) Halftime: 10-5
