Dunedin and Green Island have booked their spots in the Dunedin premier club final at Forsyth Barr Stadium this weekend.
Green Island beat defending champions Southern 45-34, while Dunedin overcame University 22-15, in their respective semifinals on Saturday.
Green Island, who finished the regular season at the top of the table, shattered Southern’s hopes of a three-peat at Bathgate Park.
It was an even encounter for the first half, both teams trading tries, before Southern took a 19-14 lead at halftime.
At Kettle Park, University got on the board first through captain Aaron Withy’s try, but Dunedin took the lead through two penalties from Cameron Burgess.
Dunedin led 11-10 at halftime and surged ahead to win.
Green Island 45
Southern 34
The talented fullback, and newly signed Highlander, scooped it up and took off down the left, pointing at Green Island’s noisy fans and running away to score in the corner.
It was the final say in the Grizzlies’ 45-34 victory over defending champions Southern in their semifinal and shattered the Magpies’ hopes of a three-peat.
Hurley was in sensational form, scoring 15 points with the boot and putting his side in all the right parts of the park.
Green Island dominated the start of the second half, fronted up physically, swung the ball wide and scored some lovely tries.
But it was an even encounter for most of the game at Bathgate Park, th both teams trading tries early.
Green Island were camped in the 22m for much of the opening 15 minutes as they looked to be the first to get over the line.
They were when halfback Daniel Smart went over — but that would be one of his last acts for the day as he left the field early injured, winger Zion Niha shifting to halfback and Vilimone Bainibure entering on the wing.
Things then shifted Southern’s way when they found themselves in the 22m.
Green Island managed to get out twice, but gave the home side back the ball, and fullback Mackenzie Palmer stepped and glided around the outside of two defenders, putting Lotu Solomona in on the right corner.
Prop Naryan Strickland then bustled over the line after Southern had had several bites to extend the lead to 12-7.
Not to be left behind, Green Island first five Finn Strawbridge stepped four Southern defenders to narrow the gap.
Southern’s backline showed some nice touches of patience and speed to march their side up the field.
The ball was recycled several times before hooker Rewi Pomare scored on halftime and Southern took a 19-14 lead at the break.
Palmer banged over a penalty just after halftime to extend to an eight-point lead, but Green Island came out firing.
Hooker Heath Macewan showed his speed to break up the middle.
He flicked it left to centre Levi Harmon, who applied the gas to score.
Prop Benjamin Lopas scored next, and Hurley forged the Grizzlies ahead with a penalty.
Southern refused to lay down and let Green Island take the game from them, desperate to make something for their captain Harry Taylor’s 50th game.
When they finally got their hands on the ball, Palmer made it count when he again showed his classy footwork to beat Green Island’s defence.
That narrowed the gap to two points before replacement flanker Oliver Haig scored to keep the scoreboard ticking for the Grizzlies.
Southern first five Jack Leslie stood up to dispatch Green Island’s defence and dart up the field.
The ball found its way out wide for Solomona to pick up his second, but it was too late, and Hurley ran away to seal the game on the buzzer.
— Kayla Hodge
Dunedin 22
University 15
It was played in bizarre conditions with a bitter northerly breeze, which never happens at Kettle Park.
But it was a swirling breeze and both sides struggled to adapt to it.
There was a lot of whistle as well so it never reached any great heights and struggled to flow.
Varsity looked the better side in the first half and scored a try after 15 minutes from a 5m lineout drive when hooker Ricky Jackson went over the line.
Dunedin eased their way back into the game with some possession and territory, and first five Cam Burgess kicked two penalties to give them a one-point lead.
The defence from both sides was stifling and was dominating the game.
Thus it was a surprise when Dunedin captain and midfielder Joe Cook bust a couple of tackles 40m out and put centre Jayden Tegg over for the try to give the Sharks a six-point lead in the 30th minute.
That stung Varsity into action.
After a sustained period of attack, they had numbers out wide and winger Mac Harris went over untouched to ensure the students went to the break one point adrift.
Dunedin, although playing into the conditions, looked the better side in the second half.
They dominated possession, and Burgess kicked a handy penalty early in the spell to extend the lead to four.
They then scored the try of the game when fullback Josh Augustine made a break 70m out from a turnover, combined with winger Tayne Harvey and used his extreme pace to dot down in the corner.
Varsity lost backs Thomas Umaga-Jensen and Jeremiah Asi in the second half, which severely curtailed their attacking options.
But they gave themselves a sniff when replacement midfielder Finlay Hagen went over on the blind after a lineout drive to reduce the margin to four.
Dunedin extended the lead to seven with a Burgess penalty with eight minutes to go.
It was still anybody’s game but the Sharks hid the ball with innumerable pick-and-goes and Varsity, try as they might, could not get their hands on the ball as Dunedin ran the clock down and won the game.
Hame Toma shone for Dunedin at No 8 as Varsity struggled to contain him.
Openside Max Ratcliffe had his best game of the season and was a colossus on defence.
Burgess was tidy, while Augustine was dangerous out wide and Southland will be rubbing their hands together that he has signed for them.
Jackson was a menace for Varsity in general play and disrupted the Dunedin scrum totally undetected.
Flanker Aaron Withy got through a power of defensive work, and lock Ale Aho was their best ball carrier.
— Paul Dwyer
Dunedin semifinals
The scores
Green Island 45 (Daniel Smart, Finn Strawbridge, Levi Harmon, Benjamin Lopas, Oliver Haig, Finn Hurley tries; Hurley 6 con, pen).
Southern 34 (Lotu Solomona 2, Naryan Strickland, Rewi Pomare, Mackenzie Palmer tries; Palmer 3 con, pen).
Halftime: Southern 19-14.
Dunedin 22 (Jayden Tegg, Josh Augustine tries; Cam Burgess 4 pen).
University 15 (Ricky Jackson, Mac Harris, Finlay Hagen tries).
Halftime: Dunedin 11-10.
