Southern Region champions West Taieri have claimed the Otago Countrywide Shield with a strong 46-36 win over Alexandra at Molyneux Park on Saturday.
Alexandra came out of the blocks well and, for the opening five minutes of the match, they were in total control.
However, once West Taieri got their hands on the ball they made metres through the middle with apparent ease.
The visitors opened the scoring through prop Ethan Hippolite from close range after a mistake at the back gave West Taieri great field position.
Wests crossed the line again shortly after through midfielder Will Scorgie who made light work of an overlap on the outside to dot down.
Alex looked shell-shocked, but finally managed to hold on to possession and build more phases. Their work at the breakdown was top-drawer as they secured their own ball but managed to push Wests off their ball too.
The home side scored their first try of the match when first five Michael Murtagh-Loader dotted down in the corner after a strong buildup.
All the hard work was lost off the kickoff, however, as West Taieri reclaimed the ball after numerous bounces and winger Ryan Sutherland added five more points to his side’s tally.
Alex was next to score through lock Joshua Young who barged his way across from close range.
The problem was that every time Alex scored, they conceded shortly after.
Hippolite grabbed a second to nullify the effort put in by the home side moments before.
The final quarter of the first half was a wacky display of exhibition rugby as the ball was flung from side to side as both sides found space in the outside channels.
West Taieri scored two more tries through lock Steve Green and flanker Conner Jenkins while Alex grabbed one through winger Kanon Dick. The halftime score was 32-17 to West Taieri, but the margin could have been wider if Callum Smeaton had his usual deadly accuracy off the tee.
The second half paled in comparison to the first as both sides played with more structure and their defensive responsibilities were not as neglected.
Alexandra struck first through winger Nathan Cradock, who made the most of space out wide.
However, West Taieri mounted an assault on the back of a dominant scrum which produced numerous penalties as Alex could not compete. A scrum close to the line allowed No8 Conor Beaton to roll over to extend his team’s tally.
Another ruck turnover by Alexandra allowed them to attack with width which was again rewarded with a try to winger Cradock.
But West Taieri would not let the home side grab any kind of momentum and through another scrum penalty, were given a lineout close to the line.
A few phases later winger Isaac Timoko burrowed his way over the line.
With less than 10 seconds left and with benches emptied, Alex got the final try through Cradock who showed his finishing ability to snare his hat-trick and add his side’s sixth try of the match.
This was the last scoring play of the match as West Taieri controlled the final stages but could not cross the line.
The whistle went, and the Pigs had won their first Countrywide championship.
By Francis Parker
