Lochore Cup Rugby Final
GREYMOUTH: Like the biblical wedding feast North Otago saved its best wine until the last day of the season when it comprehensively defeated top qualifiers, West Coast, 21-13 in a game in which North Otago was never headed. A voracious North Otago forward pack dominated possession hitting the breakdowns with a ferocity not seen this season and effectively denying the much vaunted West Coast backline few opportunities. Taua Limuloa dominated the lineouts with his superb ball skills and he received great support from Aisake Fonua, David Simpson and Ross Hay. North Otago had some great foragers with number eight Josh Collier supporting Hay while the front row of the Mafi brothers, Palenapa ,until he left the field injured, and Tavite, hooker Mike Essex and Ralph Darling who replaced the injured Mafi gave better than they got.It was this physical presence at the break down that intimidated the West Coast pack which forfeited a mulitude of penalties and at one stage two of West Coasts players and one of North Otago’s were yellow carded in the first half.With the backs utilising this possesion positively West Coast was kept on the defensive apart from some isolated forays into North Otago’s territory which was protected by a relentless cover defence with Nick Webster and Tane Puki who came on as replacements making trysaving tackles in the last seven minutes.Puki was unlucky not to score in the final quarter when he displayed talented footwork to fall at the final tackle after splitting the West Coast midfield.
