Thames Valley Tallest in Meads Cup
Thames Valley: 37 (Laulea Mau 2, Te Huia Kutia, Oneone Fa’afou tries; Quinn Collard 4 cons, 3 pens) Mid Canterbury: 29 (Raitube Vasurakuta 2; Hugh Griffiths, Gordon Hausia tries; Thomas Reekie 3 cons, pen) HT: 20-8
Thames Valley are Meads Cup champions for the second time after resisting a gallant Mid Canterbury 37-29 in front of a boisterous crowd at Boyd Park, Te Aroha.
There were five lead changes in an enthralling spectacle that Thames Valley took firm control of the 55th minute.
Behind 22-20, the hosts employed the approach that had seen them lead 20-8 at halftime. Quick, aggressive, constructive phases were built with holes punched close to the Mid Canterbury ruck. Blindside flanker Laulea Mau busted down the right wing and was pulled down a nostril hair short of the paint. Tighthead prop Te Huia Kutia arrived with gusto and crashed over to make it 25-22.
Mau was rampant in the first half scoring both of the Swamp Foxes tries. The most dominant personality in the second spell was Quinn Collard. In the 57th minute, the Waihi Athletic fullback kicked a 50/22. That allowed Thames Valley to launch a lineout drive from which hooker Oneone Fa’afou muscled over europhically. Collard nailed a sideline conversion and four minutes later hammered over a 45m penalty to complete a spotless seven out of seven from the tee.
Mid Canterbury refused to surrender and a 67th-minute try to reserve hooker Gordon Hausia revived hopes of an improbable comeback. It came after a weaving 20m run from reserve flanker Lote Nagisa Mhember who provided a huge impact.
But Thames Valley led by Cam Dromgool, (celebrating his 50th match) was committed and disruptive on defence repelling repeat attacks until the 80th minute.
Thames Valley was much the stronger side in the first half, their set-piece paving the way for an advantage of a dozen.
Mid Canterbury rallied after the interval with two outstanding tries to wingers Raitube Vasurakuta and Hugh Griffiths. Fullback Ben Innes and first five-eighth Thomas Reekie were influential in their creation. Vasurakuta had a storming match ably supported by blindside flanker Kaydis Hona. There were yellow cards for McGregor Best (Mid Canterbury, 47th minute) and Finn McCall (Thames Valley, 77th minute).
Thames Valley last hosted a major final when the Paeroa Domain staged Poverty Bay in the third division final on October 14, 1995. The Swamp Foxes ran rampant that day in a 47-8 victory. Thames Valley were also third division champions in 1988 and 1990.
Thames Valley won the Meads Cup in 2018 when they upset South Canterbury 17-12 in the final in Timaru and has beaten Mid Canterbury 13 times in 25 meetings stretching back to 1964. In the Heartland Championship Thames Valley has an overall record of 68 wins, 85 defeats, and three draws.
