St Johns Club Whanganui Metro falter at final hurdle in Manawatū colts division

Missing out on the Manawatū Colts division title, the St Johns Club Whanganui Metro side have one last mission for the season to keep the Kaierau seniors in form for their upcoming assignment.

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Around 1.20pm at Arena Manawatū on Saturday, St Johns Wanganui Metro was playing some really strong rugby in the Manawatū Colts final against their rivals the Feilding Yellows.

The problem was the game had not kicked off in the usual 1pm time slot; it had been 30 minutes earlier and Metro underperformed in a costly first half to trail by 39 points - ultimately losing the Gordon Brown Memorial Cup match 44-14.

Saturday's playoff had been moved from Feilding's home ground at Johnston Park into Palmerston North, as had all the Manawatū club finals to be spectator-free and follow alert level 2 restrictions after the re-emergence of Covid-19.

Having beaten Metro three times in the past two seasons, the Yellows were able to call upon some experienced players, while their opponent's average age in the squad remains about 19.

That maturity was telling in the opening half, as Feilding did everything right, whereas Metro coach Mark Cosford said his side could only offer dropped ball, loss of structure, and a run of bad luck with the bounce of the pill.

"It was crazy.

"They really started with an intensity and a passion we didn't have.

"We were all over them the second half; we just weren't awake [in the first]."

Last year's Heartland Hurricanes representative Jack O'Leary added another try to his impressive season tally, while winger Joey Devine also crossed and Matthew Murphy slotted both conversions.

But coming back out guns blazing and winning the second half was not enough, as the Yellows were able to cruise to the title, which Cosford was pleased to see stuck in the craw of his young team.

"I could see how much it hurt the guys to lose – that want was there.

"They're already talking about next season."

In the Manawatū Women's final, which is the grade where a new St Johns Wanganui Metro team debuted this season, Kia Toa RFC pulled off a minor upset by tipping over the undefeated Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 39-27 in their 5.30pm match for the Prue Christie Cup.

It is planned for the new Metro Women to come back next year, while the Metro Colts have one more hit out this season – facing Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau while they are on their bye week for the Tasman Tanning Senior competition.

Cosford said the match was a chance for both teams to give players from their large wider squads some precious game time.

• Kickoff is around 6.15pm on Friday night at the Kaierau Country Club.