The business end of the Citizens Shield kicked off on Saturday as the playoffs started.
Valley won its 11th straight game to book its spot in the final with a 33-10 win over Excelsior, while Old Boys ended Kurow’s chance of a threepeat as they secured a thrilling 38-37 win.
It all came down to one play.
Time was expired. Angus Norrie had just scored his second try of the match in the left-hand corner to have Kurow down by just one.
Former Highlander Hayden Parker lined up the conversion, having not looked like missing off the tee all day. But the kick sailed left.
Old Boys came flying out the gates to start as they ran in three tries in the opening 20 minutes to build a 19-10 lead.
Their fourth try was one of the best of the season.
Junior Fakatoufifita was in the outside channel and drew in two defenders before throwing a miracle offload to Mone Samate.
The winger then put his foot down and sped away down field.
With defenders converging on him, he took flight for a spectacular finish in the corner.
Parker was able to knock over two pairs of penalties just before and just after halftime to keep the game close.
The visiting side then thought it had the game all wrapped up when Samate crossed the line again and Siaosi Malimali crashed over a few minutes later to give it a 16-point lead.
But it could not secure the ensuing kick off and from there Kurow marched it way forward to score through Nicholas Moa.
It was then able to win a penalty just inside Old Boys territory and Parker knocked it over from nearly 50m out to set up the grandstand finish with only a handful of minutes to play.
Kelepi Funaki was massive in the front row for Old Boys.
He played the full 80 minutes and really began to dominate at scrum time in the second half.
Malimali and Fakatoufifita were again strong in the loose forwards while halfback Tini Feke stared in the backline.
Out at Weston, yet another strong performance from Valley has allowed it to charge into the final still unbeaten. It started strongly as it ran in three first-half tries, including one penalty try, to hold a nine-point lead at the break.
Its strong defence enabled it to hold Blues scoreless in the second 40 as it scored twice more to complete a dominant win.
By virtue of finishing second in the ladder, Excelsior will have a second chance to make the final when it plays Old Boys this weekend.
