Rugby: Thames Valley take Meads Cup in front of roaring crowd

Thames Valley celebrate their 37-29 win over Mid Canterbury in the Meads Cup final on Saturday. Barts Rugby Photographs.

The Thames Valley men’s rugby team fended off a second-half Mid Canterbury surge to win the Heartland Championship 37-29 at Boyd Park in Te Aroha.

A crowd of about 5000 roared their home side home to victory under Mt Te Aroha on Saturday afternoon.

Extra stands were added to the Boyd Park arena as Valley fans enjoyed their day in rugby history.

The normally fast-starting Foxes had a little stage fright as they began the final very timidly.

Quinn Collard kicked the first points only for Mid Canterbury to score a try and penalty to lead 8-3.

Valley got their usual game pattern going and after a Fletcher Morgan break, loose forward Laulea Mau scored his first try.

Then 35 minutes into the game Mau scored his second try after a surging run by Rodney Tongotea for a strong 20-8 lead at halftime.

Mid Canterbury lifted their game in the second spell and bounced back with two converted tries and jumped ahead 22-20.

Valley responded quickly with two converted tries of their own plus a penalty that bounced on the crossbar then over to lead 34-22.

Still, Mid Canterbury did not concede. They scored a try after some ineffectual Valley tackling and it was converted to reduce the Valley lead to 37-29.

Mid Canterbury piled on to attack but a well-marshalled and disciplined Valley defence could not be faulted.

Thames Valley 37 (L. Mau 3 and T. Kutia tries, Q. Collard 4 conversions and 3 penalties) versus Mid Canterbury 29 (4 tries, 3 conversions, penalty).

Thames Valley team list: Full back Quinn Collard, wingers Sione Etoni, Alex Thrupp, midfield Fletcher Morgan, Rodney Tongotea, inside backs Charlie Marsh, Toddy Doolan, back row Laulea Mau, Matty Axtens, Cam Dromgool, middle row Brett Ranga, Connor McVerry, front row Lance McIntyre, Oneone Faafou, Te Huia Kutia, impact, Josh Tye, Fa’auma Kupita, Bryson Williams, Finn McCall, Tayne Tupaea, Jake O’Connor, Isaac Seiuli, Kenan Gillson.

Coaches Joe Murray, David Harrison, Leon Holden, Murray Driver.

Management Lucas McIver, Scott Day, Hayden Williams and Richard Barlow.

Congratulations to Thames Valley on their Meads Cup victory.

Well done also to Cam Dromgool for playing his 50th match for Thames Valley in the final. The Swamp Foxes took the Meads Cup on a mini-Thames Valley tour on the Sunday after the final.

Season record: Beat Wairarapa Bush 37-24, beat North Otago 24-15; beat King Country 23-18; lost to Whanganui 14-16, beat East Coast 60-45, beat Buller 84-14, beat Poverty Bay 71-17, lost to Horowhenua Kapiti 35-41, beat Whanganui 39-15 and beat Mid Canterbury 37-29.

Thames Valley last hosted a major final when they met Poverty Bay at the Paeroa Domain in the third division final on October 14, 1995.

The Swamp Foxes ran rampant that day in a 47-8 victory. Thames Valley were also third division champions in 1988 and 1990.

Thames Valley have now won the Meads Cup twice, the first time in 2018, when they upset South Canterbury 17-12 in the final in Timaru.

They have beaten Mid Canterbury 13 times in 25 meetings stretching back to 1964.

In the Heartland Championship, Thames Valley have an overall record of 68 wins, 85 defeats, and three draws.

Match report Donald Mackay