A warning to Tauranga Boys' College rugby fans with dodgy tickers - watching the first XV at home this year could be dangerous to your health.
For the second time in consecutive weeks, the fate of the team rested on a penalty kick at goal in injury time. Unlike last week, when Auckland Grammar's kicker fluffed his lines, Tauranga's first-five Dan Hollinshead made no mistake from handy to the posts to give his team a hard-fought 13-10 win over Counties Manukau heavyweights Wesley College.
The round one Chiefs Cup match at Nicholson Field on Saturday was a war of attrition from go to whoa, with the much bigger Wesley team looking to impose themselves physically on Tauranga.
Wesley started much the stronger team and it seemed inevitable that they must score, but a combination of some inept finishing and courageous defence - with hooker Sunny Anderson and loose forwards Grayson Kite, captain Mungo Mason and Nick Wilson outstanding - kept the visitors scoreless.
Tauranga opened the scoring against the run of play with a Hollinshead penalty but would have been disappointed they did not convert any of their try-scoring opportunities in the first half.
Wesley had use of a stiffening breeze in the second stanza but it was the home team that created the best chances. A certain try was bombed out wide with a dropped pass, after an intricate attacking move involving centre Resden Hirama, and then Hollinshead missed a straight forward penalty attempt.
The groans around the ground then quickly became an ominous silence, as Wesley created their best chance of the second spell and did not make a mistake this time, with big prop Lacey Betham crashing over. The conversion has the visitors up 7-3 but the spirit inherent in the Tauranga team during this year's unbeaten run came to the fore, with a well-taken try to replacement loosie Dylan Donne, with Wesley a man down after a yellow card.
But 10-7 became 10-10 when Wesley snapped over a dropped goal and that is the way it looked likely to end until Hollinshead stepped up to win it.
Tauranga coach Jason Spice was impressed with his team's defence under pressure and Hollinshead's composure.
"I probably feel more nervous for a young kid that has to step up and kick the goal. Dan has been through the ups and downs of being the kicker and the first five, so it is great for him to have one go his way, and finish off a game we probably weren't really deserving to be in the position we were.
"We managed to hang in there defensively and it was pleasing to come out on the right side. Our defence is testament to how these guys have come together as an extended family and that is the theme of how they look after each other. That is being transferred out on the field and those sort of values are pretty important to us."
Tauranga Boys' play Hamilton Boys' in the Chiefs Cup at noon next Saturday at Nicholson Field.
Tauranga Boys' 13 (Dylan Donne try; Dan Hollinshead con, 2 pens) Wesley College 10 (Lacey Betham try; Gene Te Amo con; Brad Lilo dropped goal.)