Victory throws up new crop of heroes

Mils Muliaina (L) and Byron Kelleher hold the Air New Zealand Cup. Ross Land / Getty Images

There comes a point when a perennial bridesmaid gets mighty sick of never being the one to walk down the aisle with a view to snaring the nervous-looking bloke up the front.

Wellington must be at that point now having been in three of the last four finals without ever clinching the deal.

Even more frustrating for the capital side was the fact they were never really in the hunt last night. Jimmy Gopperth's boot kept them in touch and the aggression of Jerry Collins and Rodney So'ioalo rattled a few Waikato bones, but it was finger in the dyke sort of stuff.

Waikato took control from the start in the same manner the alpha male commandeers the remote, and they played with a sense that history was going to be. They played as if they had never contemplated any other outcome than a home win and that is why those old timers of 1992 might find they now need to produce some fresh heroics if they want the dinner invitations to keep coming.

Waikato have new heroes. Jono Gibbes, Marty Holah, Keith Robinson and Steven Bates - they all threw themselves into the guts of the battle to provide Waikato with a constant supply of possession. They were fearless at the breakdown in the face of a hugely committed Wellington pack who smashed into contact with the same authority Auckland drivers crash red lights.

The lineout stayed steady, the scrum solid enough and with possession on tap, Byron Kelleher found the hunger to snap and snarl the way he used to back in those days when he had the perennial shadow of Justin Marshall to fume at.

Kelleher's second try, where he blasted off the mark to beat Piri Weepu to the loose ball was one of those stake in the ground moments. The outcome suggested Kelleher was driven by more powerful intrinsic forces than his All Black rival and he can now expect to be wearing number nine in Lyon on November 11.

David Hill was another hero with his radar bang on the money when it came to kicking the goals and his constant whispering of sweet something's into the ear of Stephen Donald a major factor in guiding the young first five through his best game of the season.

It was Hill's magic pass, though, midway through the first half that was his most telling touch and one for him to savour as he guzzles his first pint of Scrumpy when he arrives in Bristol later this week.

The former All Black appeared to be hesitating in midfield, unsure whether to throw a huge skip pass or hold on for the cavalry. It was all a matter of smoke and mirrors, though, as he flipped an exquisite pass to Sosene Anesi who had come off his wing and then busted the double-team goodnight kiss from Shannon Paku and Ma'a Nonu before feeding Richard Kahui.

It was a superbly executed move and fitting that it should be Anesi to make the telling break as the flying wing has been in grand touch these last few weeks.

Capped against Fiji, he suddenly took a decided turn for the worse and during this year's Super 14 he started to look like ammunition for the traditionalists who harp on about All Black jerseys being given away on the cheap.

But he's undergone a renaissance every bit as major as the one that swept through Europe on the back of the Dark Ages and gave us Michelangelo. Anesi is the quickest man in New Zealand rugby and when he runs with confidence and attacks the outside shoulder of defenders he's a slippery sausage.

As is young Brendon Leonard who came on at halfback and promptly ploughed through Tana Umaga's tackle to score with just his first touch.

Leonard's try after 70 minutes gave Waikato the breathing space they were after and the celebrations could begin.

The Waikato Draught could start flowing and with it, the names of John Mitchell, Ian Foster, Richard Loe - they could all drift further back in the conscience.

Waikato coach Warren Gatland, a player himself back in 1992, wants to build a legacy.

He wants Waikato to be every bit as successful as the great Auckland and Canterbury teams that have enjoyed periods of domination at various times.

And so far, at least, what Gatland wants, Gatland gets.

Waikato 37 (R. Kahui, B. Kelleher (2), B. Leonard tries; D. Hill 4 cons, 3 pens) Wellington 31 (M. Nonu (2), T. Umaga tries; J. Gopperth 2 cons, 4 pens)