Well, it's over after the full 80 minutes, triumph for the Butcher Boys of Steelform Wanganui as they win our 5th Meads Cup title against Buller by 10 points, what a relief because about 90% by the crowd thinking that Buller is going to win the Meads Cup title surely but that isn't just the case.
It was on Sunday, the day after the Wanganui-Wairarapa Bush semifinal of the Meads Cup as well as the All Blacks-Wallabies test match at Eden Park that I went to Pops for dinner so we made the fruit salad for dessert by chopping up the fruit for the fruit salad as well as cutting the lettuce for the salad & chopping up the vegetables such as the carrots (Although Pops chopped the tomatoes up & made the vinegarette & put the chicken in the microwave before putting in the oven along with the potatoes) before I read all pages of both the Richie McCaw books such as The Open Side (My favourite part of the book was Richie McCaw (Who was a cult figure in world rugby because he shares the same role as a movie star (Just like rugby coaches share the same role of a rock star according to my blog 4 years ago) by the Robin Thicke of it) saw a sign out in one of the car park yards at a fan trail which is: I HOPE YOU'RE READY QUADE, RICHIE IS (Although McCaw had a feud with Wallaby Quade Cooper because Cooper kneed McCaw to the head during the test in Brisbane 5 years ago but why does the people of New Zealand dislike him so much? Because they boo him a lot whenever he picks up with the ball when he plays rugby here in New Zealand) & the referee Stu Dickinson saying at McCaw: ''Hands off, it's a ruck'' but the referee awarded a penalty because McCaw used his hands in the ruck) & Richie McCaw 148 but Bryan & Viv arrived so Poppa showed both of them Nan's Memorial Garden before we had our starter which is murukku, cheese, salami & red pepper then the main course was chicken, roast potatoes & salad with lettuce, tomatoes & carrots with vinegarette to serve & I did enjoy it but I told Bryan & Viv about my cousin Paige & her mother Cathey & Cathey's husband John who hyad been together for 10 years & my 2 little cousins Nico & Luca as well as Poppa's sister Kathryn & her children such as Ben, Gemma & Huia & partner from between Bristol & Portsmouth, Ken & after then it was dessert which is fruit salad with hokey pokey ice-cream then it was time to go home with Bryan & Viv after they went to see the memorial garden again this time it was during the dark & I talked about during my ride back home that both Bryan & Viv have been together for 42 years since 1974 (Although they 1st met at Spriggens Park but Bryan was 18 when he went to Australia on an under 19's rugby trip 50 years ago because this was way back in 1966 & he was probably working at Placemakers 20 years ago way back in 1996) & only have 1 children which is Ashley who is 35 years old & works for Total automotive & has been doing lots of running as part of their excercise & training & taking part in triathlons although I 1st met Ashley's partner Charlotte 12 years ago & they still together at the moment.
And it was on Thursday that Pops took me to his home at 15A Kells Avenue after we went to Mitre 10 as well as New World for the meal deal to do some stuff like building the houses for the gnomes & had a great lunch at the Red Lion near the city bridge where I had a burger & fries before going back to Poppa's to focus on some more work like building the houses for the gnomes & then we had fruit salad with hokey pokey ice-cream for dessert then finished the Richie McCaw books that I read before I went back home to end a wonderful day it was.
And today was a bit of a cliffhanger as Pops arrived to pick me up to go to the rugby & I did not know that Kathryn's partner Ken (AKA Kenshi) was with Poppa & I did not know that Ken has a son named Will (AKA Takeda) but Will is from Auckland because he has tattoos (And he has been to a rugby game before because he used to play rugby as a kid) & here we are at Cooks Gardens but I will tell you an incredible story about the Meads Cup final between Wanganui & Buller with several news reports coming in:
From Stuff News
Wanganui stamped their authority as the powerhouse of the Heartland Championship with a 5th Meads Cup win, albeit by the closest of margins.
The Butcher Boys however took 75 minutes to get past a brave Buller outfit 20-18 at Cooks Gardens.
In fact, the country's smallest union had two late chances to send the game into extra time but the usually reliable left foot of James Lash (He is a left footed kicker like Dan Carter & Jonny Wilkinson & he is the brother of rugby referee Mike Lash) pushed both attempts wide.
3 weeks earlier, Wanganui had beaten Buller 28-0 but the final was a totally different affair, with Buller dominating at times.
Only 2 times not once in 11 years have the Butcher Boys not appeared in the championships finale.
Sadly for Buller, it was their 2nd loss in 3 years in the end of season show piece.
For Wanganui captain Peter Rowe had a strong game in his last outing for the province.
Rowe said neither side left anything out on the paddock and he congratulated Buller for their efforts.
"We just kept believing. It was everything a final should be."
Lock Gavin Thornbury (Self proclaimed fan of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers) impressed in the pack as did No.8 Malakai Volau.
In the backs wing Te Rangatira Waitokia (Christian Cullen fan) looked dangerous at times, while the experienced Lindsay Horrocks and veteran Craig Clare delivered when it mattered.
Buller's best were loose forwards Daniel Hytongue and Blair McIlroy, while 42-year-old prop Phil Beveridge never took a backward step.
Lash was outstanding in general play and looks set for higher honours while centre Joshua Tuidriva and fullback Anthony Tailua (I didn't know that he was the danger man for Buller) also put in excellent performances.
Buller started brightly and went on to dominate the first half statistics, but ended tied 10-all at half time.
They camped inside Wanganui's 22 early without being able to break their great defence so Lash finally opted for a two point penalty after 16 minutes.
Buller's lead didn't last long however.
Wanganui No.8 Malaki Volau had a try rubbed out by the TMO but it did not matter.
A set move from a lineout saw right wing Te Rangatira Waitokia slice through and offloaded to second five Craig Clare, who scored and then he converted his own try.
Buller appeared hampered with an injury to second five Penijamini Nabainivalu, but with a 6-1 forward-back split (Although Buller ran out of backs due to numerous amount of injuries I probably think) on the bench, he was forced to soldier on until half time..
With 30 minutes gone Buller centre Joshua Tuidriva charged down Dane Whales' attempted drop kick and would have been away but the bounce was not kind in that favour.
Wanganui were however starting to gain some dominance and Clare landed a handy penalty.
Buller however silenced the home crowd when fullback Anthony Tailua sliced through from 25m out, off a perfect Lash pass.
Lash landed the handy conversion to tie the game up 10-all and then the left footer tried a long range drop goal right on halftime with no luck.
Buller couldn't have scripted a better start after the break when a wide Lash pass found Tailua, who stepped his marker brilliantly to score, with Lash adding the extras.
Wanganui however came straight back and were again denied a try, for shepherding in a truck & trailer way.
Buller's defence then held tight until the 60th minute thanks to impressive line speed and Wanganui's repeated poor handling.
Clare's successful penalty reduced to 6 points, the value of a try in the Heartland Championships.
Lash then attempted to restore Buller's lead but his 2nd drop goal attempt was wide.
Wanganui however recovered and after a number of phases big lock Gavin Thornbury scored and Clare's conversion put them in front with 8 minutes remaining on the clock.
With 4 minutes to go Wanganui were penalised for holding on to the ball in a tackle but the usually reliable Lash missed the kick to tie the game and botched a 2nd chance, to allow Wanganui to claim back-to-back crowns.
SCORERS:
Wanganui 20 (Gavin Thornbury, Craig Clare tries, Clare 2 con, 2 pen) Buller 18 (Anthony Tailua 2, James Lash 2 con, pen) HT: 10-10
And from Newshub
Wanganui survived their toughest test of the Heartland championship season to pip Buller 20-18 at home in the Meads Cup final.
The defending champions had romped imperiously through the season in the amateur-based championship for minor unions, averaging nearly 50 points in winning their 10 previous games.
However, Buller launched a bold challenge and could have stolen a win if first five-eighth James Lash had been successful with 1 of 2 long-range penalty attempts in the closing minutes.
It was Wanganui's 5th title, extending their lead as the most successful Heartland Championship union.
And finally from the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship website
In 11 years of Meads Cup play under the format Wanganui have appeared in all but two finals, winning five of them, and in one of the years they didn't qualify they won the Lochore Cup.
It is an impressive record in the Heartland competition and that showed when they didn't manage to get the match-winning lead until the 70th minute of the game when big lock Gavin Thornbury scored what proved the deciding try.
Early on, Wanganui looked to make a comfortable start but Buller put in a strong effort to draw level at half-time and then taking the lead early in the second half to put Wanganui under rare pressure.
Wanganui were denied a try when a strong surge at the line saw the TMO unsighted on the grounding. But in subsequent play, from a lineout just outside the 22m area, Wanganui ran the ball and right wing Te Rangatira Waitokia entered the line and took a gap before finding second five-eighth Craig Clare unmarked outside him to score in the opening try 19 minutes into the game.
Buller demonstrated the potency of their attack when able to put their moves in place in the 33rd minute. From a scrum, first five-eighths James Lash threw a flat pass into a gap where fullback Anthony Tailua hit the ball at speed to thread the needle, sidestep a solitary defender at speed and score under the posts.
There was far more of the orthodox about Tailua's second try scored five minutes into the second half. It came from a Buller scrum 5 metres out from Wanganui's goal-line. Lash threw a long ball and Tailua was able to step inside the defence and cross for the try.
Wanganui were forced into rare panic mode in the middle stages of the second half. They had ample chances to add to their score but were beset by handling woes at crucial moments, although some of that was due to impressive Buller defence. All they could claim was a Clare penalty goal.
Later a series of defensive mishaps by Buller, after a Tailua kick ahead was returned with interest as two key handling mistakes were made as wing Setefano Sauqaqa and Lash dropped the ball between them, and then Lash, covering, wasn't able to hold the ball. But Wanganui managed to get themselves at the breakdown five metres out from Buller's line, and Buller cleared downfield.
However, they came back in a 10-phase play they saw centre Blake Hohaia's sheer determination get him through the defence before finding lock Gavin Thornbury on his inside and with an unimpeded path to the goal-line to score the try which, when converted by Clare, gave Wanganui a 20-18 lead with 10 minutes left on the clock (And I mean this is what you call a sin bin or should I say yellow card period).
Buller stormed back onto attack but forward passes and turnovers proved costly while an attempted penalty goal attempt with 5 minutes remaining missed. But 2 minutes later he was given another chance to level the scores and again it missed.
Scorers: Wanganui 20 (Craig Clare, Gavin Thornbury tries; Clare 2 con, 2 pen) Buller 18 (Anthony Tailua 2 tries; James Lash 2 con, pen). HT: 10-10
So that is my 30th (XXXth) blog of the year 2016 (MMXVI) & my 70th overall because I will be doing a blog about next week's upcoming international rugby test match between the All Blacks & Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (This is where Diana Kent is going).
P.S. And here's the parody of the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme that I've been doing in the style of the computer game Doom & it goes like this: Doomguy sat on a wall, Doomguy had a great fall, all the demons horses & all the imps men, couldn't put Doomguy together again.
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