A day to remember for the underdogs

By DAVE WORSLEY

Everything that optimises club rugby was on display at the Counties finals between Waiuku and Pukekohe at Growers Stadium.

And as every fairytale finishes with a happy ending, so did this final as Waiuku, the small-town team and slight underdogs, won through.

They upstaged the more star-studded Pukekohe side 21-10 in front of a good crowd decked out in their team's colours.

Around a third of the Waiuku township of 3000 turned out for a game which was typical finals rugby built on big defence with little chance for running play.

Forwards dominated the game, but somehow the backs scored all the tries.

It was the first victory for Waiuku since 2000, and only their second in the 48-year history of the province.

According to first-time Waiuku coaches Andy Dawkins and Stephen Neil, the win was a total cliche.

"It was a good, solid team effort. Really it was. We had a solid game plan which worked all year, and there was always so much support from our community, too," they said. "I think we wanted it more than they did as well. Our defence helped us to win. Harry Fleming pulled off some great tackles in the centres and Ramon Lindsay was a leader in the forwards."

It took close to 30 minutes for either side to score, with New Zealand Colts star Stephen Donald following up on strong controlling play at first five-eighth to go over and then convert.

The second try went to Waiuku wing Sosefo Kata, who was playing his 100th game, taking the score to 12-0, which was where it stayed at halftime.

Pukekohe first-five Troy Nathan put his side on the scoreboard with a penalty early in the second spell before Donald kicked a drop goal.

Second-five Dion Lawson scored a try for Pukekohe to put them right back in the match, but two more penalties by Donald cemented the victory.

It was the 101st senior club game for Waiuku captain Grant Henson, and the loss left Pukekohe as the beaten finalists for the second year in a row after going down to Ardmore Marist last year.

Pukekohe outside backs Sitiveni Sivivatu and Gus Leger had few opportunities with the ball in hand. Counties halfback Kevin Farrell had a quiet game behind the Pukekohe pack.