In the penultimate game of the day, the Willagee Bears found a way against a committed Alkimos Tigers team to win and reverse the result from two weeks ago, in a thrilling contest to become the FTG&P U15 Boys Premiers.
In a powerful start, both teams traded blows, with some brilliant kicking as well keeping both teams coming out of their own territory. Which mean that the first strike, from the Bears would be from long range. After some nice play on the left edge, Troy Smith broke clear from halfway, and held his nerve to deliver a beautiful pass to a looming Hans Oberholzer who showed a clean pair of heels to race away to score. With Nash Wepa adding the extra, the game was on in earnest.
And as sure is the day is long, kick offs will be a coaches worst nightmare, and the Bears were unable to cleanup, as the Tigers went right on the attack. And they duly struck back. A speculator pass from hooker Te Pono Peeti found its way into the hands of Stevie-Ray Hogan-Tule with no one in front of him, and with the game at 6-4 and both teams on the board, it was always going to be one to watch.
The Tigers had thought they went back to back after a great kick from Armani Waiomio seemed to have found its way into Bailey Herewini’s hands for a go ahead score, but a small knock on meant that the Bears dodged a bullet. And then the crowd was treated to a moment of magic.
Metuakore Trego got the ball on the 40 metre line on the final tackle. After a chip and chase, he regathered, beat the fullback, outpaced three cover defenders and breezed past another to score what could only be the try of the day.
And it woke up the Tigers. With the Tigers wresting back control of the game, they found the ball in good attacking territory and scored under the posts through Leilyn Herewini-Kapea. Getting the ball close to the line, be bounced off his right foot and powered over the score under the posts. At half time the game was 10-10 and completely in the balance.
For the first 7 minutes of the second half, it was a bit of a stalemate with both teams dropping quite a bit of ball and unable to get into their sets properly. But the Tigers would take the first initiative, and it was through playmaker Waiomio. Bouncing out of one tackle, he fended off three others on his way to a brilliant solo try which got the Tigers in front by 6 and in the drivers seat.
And such is the back and forth nature of this contest, that the Bears grew and responded in the best way possible. A beautiful short ball from Wepa, got the Bears through a hole, where Phoenix Piggott-Makiiti got the ball, and powered over three defenders to tie the game up one more time, with 10 minutes remaining.
Errors and discipline would decide this one, and the Tigers dropped the ball and then conceded a penalty to put the Bears back on the attack. And after a strong set, Jacob Smith did the unexpected and knocked over a drop goal, to put the Bears up by 1. While there was still plenty of time left, it could prove the difference in this contest.
Well the Tigers clicked into gear and forced the issue. A few half line breaks along with a regathered kick yielded some close calls for Alkimos. But an error coming out of their territory was pounced on by Smith, who offloaded to Israel Cash, scoring on fulltime to get the win and premiership for the Willagee Club.
Willagee Bears 23
Tries – Hans Oberholzer, Metuakore Trego, Phoenix Piggott-Makiiti, Israel Cash
Conversions – Nash Wepa (3)
Drop Goal – Jacob Smith
Alkimos Tigers 16
Tries – Stevie-Ray Hogan-Tule, Leilyn Herewini-Kapea, Armani Waiomio
Conversions – Travarn Ackerman (2)
Player Of The Match – Willagee Bears – #7 Jacob Smith
 |  |