Waitakere's near miss a bitter blow for Tonu'u

What a difference a year makes.

At Eden Park on Saturday, Ofisa Tonu'u looked a broken man as he slumped to the ground at the end of a dramatic Auckland premier one championship final for the Gallaher Shield.

Tonu'u, who had captained Waitakere City so outstandingly throughout the 2005 season, had missed with a desperate last-second dropped goal attempt which would have clinched the shield for his new club.

Last season, the former All Black halfback had been a key member of the Ponsonby team who beat Grammar Carlton in the shield final. He could not have been a happier man on that occasion.

Waitakere City were gallant in defeat, losing 19-17 to Ponsonby.

Two minutes from fulltime, Waitakere had another chance to snatch the game from Ponsonby when replacement prop Filipo Sauni, who does the goal-kicking for the club's senior one side, struck the lefthand upright with another dropped goal attempt.

One of New Zealand's oldest and most famous clubs, Ponsonby has now won the Gallaher Shield 27 times since the trophy was first contested in 1922, including four times in the past five seasons.

"The Gallaher Shield is huge for us," said a proud Ponsonby coach, Gary Keenan, immediately after the match.

"Waitakere really took it to us for the full 80 minutes although we didn't play that well, in fact, it was our worst game of the season."

Waitakere scored two tries to Ponsonby's one and had much the better of the last 15 minutes, in direct contrast to their previous two games against the Ponies this season when Ponsonby had dominated the final 20 minutes of both matches.

Ponsonby did make an unusually large number of handling errors but many resulted from the high-pressure, in-your-face Waitakere defence.

Although bitterly disappointed at losing so narrowly, Waitakere coach Pati Maligi is eagerly looking forward to next season.

"Our boys now know what finals football is all about and will be much better for the experience," said Maligi, who represented Manu Samoa both as a loose forward and halfback in the 1980s.

"I feel we were unlucky not to have beaten Ponsonby as we had the better of the last 20 minutes and only just missed with that dropped-goal attempt."

Maligi is keen to coach Waitakere City again and hopes to be accompanied by Tonu'u, who was his assistant this year and in charge of the backs.

Tonu'u has not yet decided if he will play again next season.

"I'll wait to see how the body feels after the summer before making a decision on that one," said Tonu'u, now in his mid-30s.

Another former All Black, Eroni Clarke, scored Waitakere's first try with loose forward Malu Fuimaono touching down for the second.

Ponsonby prop Richard Tonga was awarded Ponsonby's only try in the second half after a forward drive to the line. Ponsonby led 12-10 at halftime.

Marist won the Jubilee Trophy, beating Grammar Carlton 38-12 in their final, and Pakuranga has guaranteed itself a place in next season's premier one competition.

The club crown

Bay of Plenty: Mt Maunganui 24 Rotoiti 8
Waikato: Hamilton Old Boys 15 Hautapu 14
Manawatu: COB 27 FOB 16
Thames Valley: Waihou 29 Mercury Bay 25
Wairarapa-Bush: Eketahuna 50 Gladstone 7
Christchurch: Christchurch 16 Burnside 14