Upper Clutha and Alexandra will host Central Otago’s premier club semifinals next weekend, against Cromwell and Wakatipu respectively, after contrasting victories in the final round of qualifying matches on Saturday.
While Alexandra clinched the bonus point it needed by romping away to a 36-5 victory over Arrowtown at Molyneux Park, Upper Clutha turned in massive defensive effort to defeat Cromwell 22-8 in the final White Horse Cup defence of the season at Wanaka.
This was Upper Clutha’s 12th straight victory of the season and brought immense pleasure to coach Garry Hape.
"To restrict Cromwell to one try and a single-digit score twice in the season is a massive effort," Hape said, Upper Clutha having won the first meeting 25-8.
Cromwell needed just a solitary bonus point from Saturday’s game to edge out Alexandra for a home semifinal and when hooker Jackson Clark scored from a Crusaders-style lineout drive in the 48th minute, the bonus-point score was on.
Despite countless mini-breaks from gun midfielder Hayden Todd, however, Cromwell, with the wind advantage, could not breach the goalline again.
Heading Upper Clutha’s magnificent defensive effort was openside flanker Nick Inch, who was deservedly named man of the match.
Upper Clutha’s other forward star was lock Blake Manning, the Auckland Grammar School graduate.
He finished off a spectacular 90m team try initiated by fullback Henry Schikker, who ran past several Cromwell players after it had lost possession deep in the Upper Clutha 22.
The three goals Brady Kingan kicked took his aggregate for the season to 123.
Alexandra needed five championship points from its clash with Arrowtown and had matters pretty much under control by halftime against Arrowtown when it led 22-0. It stretched that to 36-0 before Arrowtown managed a consolation try.
Winger Kanon Dick and halfback Ryan O’Neill each scored a brace of tries.
To be hosting a semifinal is a monumental achievement for coach Lee Wilson and his team after they have laboured along as also-rans for many seasons.
They overwhelmed a depleted Cromwell team two Saturdays ago and will go into the semifinal full of confidence.
Defending champion Wakatipu made hard work of beating bottom team Matakanui Combined 24-16 at Queenstown.
Wakatipu led 14-10 at halftime but trailed 14-16 with 20 minutes to play before late tries by fullback Logan Beggs and winger Mike Rewi ensured they would be contesting next weekend’s semifinals.
— Bob Howitt
