But Hiroki will be having none of that talk.
“Come Tuesday night we’ll all be back down to Earth. We’re in fourth spot and the challenge is to stay there, and maybe improve over the next two rounds.
“Before the game we talked about showing urgency. We adopted the motto of not taking any prisoners on our home ground and wanted to put on a show for the supporters . . I think we did that.”
Woodbank HSOB coach Wayne Ensor had no complaints after his table-topping team suffered their first loss of the season.
“They deserved their win,” Ensor said. “Our continuity was average and our decision-making not good enough, but you can put that down to the way Waikohu played, especially the way they defended.
“We had chances to win but couldn’t finish. Again, credit to Waikohu, we knew it was going to be tough today and that’s the way it turned out.”
Man-of-the-match Tulsa KauiNo.8 and man-of-the-match Tulsa Kaui gave Waikohu the start they wanted with a try after five minutes.
It started with a throw-in to HSOB on their right wing.
Waikohu blindside flanker TK Tane, a constant menace to HSOB at lineout time, stole the ball and halfback Mario Counsell quickly spread it wide.
The HSOB cover defence was up to it but when Kaui received the ball 12 metres out from the tryline he charged through three tacklers to score close to the posts, giving fullback Ethine Reeves an easy conversion.
Waikohu failed to secure possession from the restart and spent the next 20 minutes on defence as HSOB came close to crossing the line several times.
“The defence during that spell was awesome,” Hiroki said.
Waikohu then clawed their way back into the match as an attacking force. Openside flanker Kimihia Matiaha, Kaui, lock Sandy Campbell, prop Toru Noanoa and hooker Geoff Pari were all prominent.
Back came HSOB. Replacement hooker Kolo Fonohema got across the line, only to be held up.
Pressure is mountingThe pressure was mounting on the home side and they finally relented when halfback Andrew Knight went over after three charges at the line from the HSOB forwards.
Centre Corey Reihana converted to send the teams to the break locked 8-all.
With the wind behind them for the last 40 minutes, HSOB took control of the ball and territory from the kick-off.
They looked certain to hit the front but were continually denied by a mixture of superb defence and poor decisions.
Both teams were presented gift opportunities to take the lead from penalties in front of the posts. Both decided to go for scrums, which came to nothing.
With five minutes remaining, referee Tuki Sweeney awarded Waikohu a penalty 22 metres from the posts and in the middle of the pitch.
“Take the points,” screamed the Waikohu coaches, reserves and supporters.
Reeves obeyed the call and duly slotted the two points.
“The next five minutes were the longest in my coaching career,” Hiroki said.
“We knew HSOB wouldn’t take this lying down and at times it was agonising to watch as HSOB mounted attacks. But I just felt inside that the boys would’t let this one slip.
‘’When Tuki signalled the end of the game it was sheer relief, then a sense of being proud of all the players. I couldn’t fault any of them.”
Although on the losing team, Reihana, prop Hikanui Curtis, lock Jarred Phelps and replacement first five-eighth Scott Leighton had their moments.
Waikohu 10 (Tulsa Kaui try, Ethine Reeves, con, pen).
HSOB 8 (Andrew Knight try, Corey Reihana con).
HT: 8-8
