Disappointing finale for the old firm

By CHRIS RATTUE

Otago 37 North Harbour 10

It was hardly a planned move, but the North Harbour careers of Wayne Shelford and Frano Botica ended together on Saturday night.

The two characters who are synonymous with the 17-year-old union made their final bows in unison, although not in the way they would have wanted.

The defeat at the hands of Otago was one of the most disappointing moments in Harbour's relatively short history. After a season of mainly high achievement, they were out of their depth against a good but hardly devastating Otago side in the NPC semifinal at North Harbour Stadium.

There was one final twist in the enduring relationship between Botica and coach Shelford - team-mates and major influences at the birth of the Harbour union in the mid-1980s.

When it seemed that North Harbour needed Botica to put direction into their ramblings against Otago, Shelford and assistant Allan Pollock baulked.

They waited until the 64th minute before introducing Botica for the struggling Willie Walker, who had just hoofed a clearing kick out on the full. At 29-10, the game was already lost.

Pollock threw a dummy during the week, claiming that Botica would start. He should have believed his own subterfuge.

Walker was hesitant and his tactical kicking astray, leaving North Harbour playing the game in the wrong places against a dominant Otago pack. Botica was probably the man for this particular job.

Walker did put Rico Gear through a gap for the game's first try, but it was downhill from there for the home side.

Mark Robinson and Walker had kicks charged down which helped Otago gain two of their tries, but it was nothing more than Laurie Mains' side deserved.

With Kees Meeuws, Simon Maling and Paul Miller leading the charge, their forwards held sway in front of a 12,000 crowd.

Byron Kelleher won a sometimes testy battle of the halfbacks over Robinson.

His personal victory summed up a night that should have done some damage to the professional aspirations of the Harbour players, although their Super 12 hopes may have been saved by Auckland's shambolic performance in Christchurch.

Put it this way - it was a weekend that explained why the Blues finished 11th this year. Peter Sloane will hardly be jumping for joy.

So when Botica and Shelford get together at family barbecues, this game will not be on their greatest hits list.

Shelford, who will probably head to Europe next year, said he and Botica did not often dwell on the past.

"We have our history and we don't need to talk about it ... maybe only when the old troops get together," he said.

Shelford was happy with the season, saying his side had defied the critics to make the semifinals.

"We didn't play well tonight, but that's life. It was the most focussed side I've ever seen in seven years of coaching at North Harbour. But we seemed to get the jitters."

The 38-year-old Botica, whose career has taken him around the world and has included tests with the All Blacks and Kiwis, will have minor knee operations and then take up triathlons.

Botica and long-time North Auckland centre Charles Going have a business venture building a luxury charter launch, to start operating around America's Cup time.

Botica said he had wanted more semifinal game time.

"I was pissed off I didn't go on earlier. I hoped to get a half. But I would have gladly swapped no time for a win," Botica said.

"I've had a great run in football and there's no use just hanging around forever ... there's a lot of young players around."

Botica lives close to Albany stadium, and intends popping in to watch training.

And after years of globetrotting, there might be more time for family barbecues with the Shelfords - before Buck does some travelling of his own.

"Retiring hasn't really sunk in yet - life has just flashed by. It seems like yesterday I was a young bloke making my way in the game," Botica said.

"In my eyes he [Shelford] is God - he was when I was a young fella at North Shore and he still is now."