BLOODY MARVELOUS: Magpies player Tom Stanley after the final whistle at McLean Park, Napier, last night. PHOTO/Paul Taylor
TALK about a fitting finale to the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby season.
When first five-eighth Ihaia West converted winger Mason Emerson's 76th-minute try to give the Magpies the 26-25 win against the Wellington Lions in last night's ITM Cup Championship final at McLean Park, Napier, there was a sense of redemption for a similar conversion he missed in the 2013 final in Nelson against Tasman.
"That Tasman game did creep into my mind as I lined the last attempt up," a delighted West said afterwards. "I wasn't going to let that happen again and I just backed myself."
That formula had worked for West throughout the game as he had succeeded with all five of his previous attempts on the way to giving departing captain Brendon O'Connor a winning farewell. O'Connor heads to Britain on Wednesday to begin a two-year contract with the Leicester Tigers.
While he focuses on that his Magpies teammates will be able to enjoy the summer a lot better than they have in 2013 and last year when they lost the final to Manawatu in Palmerston North . It wasn't the farewell Wellington lock Jeremy Thrush wanted in his 88th and final game for the Lions before linking up with English club Gloucester.
"Last week my goalkicking was pretty good and it felt nice again tonight," West said referring to last weekend's seven successes from as many attempt in the semifinal win against Bay of Plenty Steamers.
"We didn't make it easy on ourselves but I'm just stoked for the boys," the Blues franchise pivot added.
When the Magpies begin their Premiership campaign next year it will be the first time they have played at that level since 2012. Magpies head coach Craig Philpott, who was at the helm that year, admitted to being "a bit choked up" before last night's presentations.
"We talked at halftime in the changing room about the character within this squad.
"These guys never give up."
While the Magpies scrum was a lot better than it was the previous week, their lineout play was appalling. The Lions took five takes against the throw.
Far too often the Magpies lacked the necessary patience and penetration. Philpott was right ... it was their tremendous character and never-say-die approach which secured them the Championship, the perfect consolation prize for losing the Ranfurly Shield earlier this month.
Along with West and O'Connor, lock Mark Abbott was high on the list of heroes. His carries were powerful and his defensive work top-shelf stuff.
Wellington opened the scoring in the first minute when Te Aute College product and former Bay age-group team halfback Frae Wilson took advantage of some flimsy defence to touch down. Fullback Jackson Garden-Bachop slotted the conversion,
West's kickoff went out on the full and the Lions remained on attack. The Magpies horror start continued when Emerson spilled the ball forward and when a teammate collected it Bay of Plenty referee Nick Briant ruled him offside.
Fortunately Garden-Bachop missed the kick at goal from 39 metres out in the eighth minute. The Magpies then bombed a lineout throw five metres out but when the Wellington backs were ruled offside West opened the hosts account with an 11th-minute penalty.
Three minutes later West succeeded with a penalty from 36 metres out when a Wellington defender was pinged for not rolling away. The Lions took a 10-6 lead when Garden-Bachop slotted a penalty from 22 metres out in the 20th minute.
Garden-Bachop was again on target with a 27th-minute penalty from the same spot when Magpies prop Brendon Edmonds was penalised for a ruck infringement.
Poor defensive work from the Magpies saw Lions winger and former Magpies fullback Cory Jane score. Garden-Bachop added the extras and Wellington led 20-6. West kept the Magpies in touch with a 34th-minute penalty when the Lions were penalised for hands in the ruck.
Well into injury time before the halftime whistle, the Magpies were rewarded for turning down a penalty and opting for an attacking lineout when winger Robbie Fruean scored. West slotted the conversion and the Lions led 20-16 at the interval.
Wellington gained the early territorial advantage in the second half when Emerson spilled a high ball forward. Fortunately the Magpies defence coped with the Lions' waves of attack before the hosts forced a turnover.
West closed the gap with a 44th-minute penalty from 37 metres out when Lions prop Reggie Goodes was caught offside and penalised.
The Magpies lost their fourth lineout throw in the 60th minute and the Lions were hot on attack. The Magpies defence was solid until the 66th minute when Jane scored his second try.
The hosts lacked the necessary patience and penetration until the 76th minute when Emerson scored in the corner and West came up with another of his Houdini acts.
Wellington's best were captain and No 8 Ardie Savea and centre Matt Proctor. With Hawke's Bay now the best team in the Hurricanes franchise area it will be interesting to see how many Magpies gain Hurricanes selection when the Super Rugby teams are announced next week.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Heartstopper: Magpies winger Mason Emerson's 76th minute try. The hearts of all the Magpies fans stopped while we waited for the outcome of first five-eighth Ihaia West's conversion attempt from the sideline.
Turning point: West's conversion of Emerson's try. The Magpies were never going to lose from here.
Player of the match: Magpies first five-eighth Ihaia West. Six from six at goal including the match-winning conversion. Enough said.
Scorers: Hawke's Bay Magpies 26 (Robbie Fruean, Mason Emerson tries; Ihaia West 4 pens, 2 cons) Wellington Lions 25 (Frae Wilson, Cory Jane 2 tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 cons, 2 pens ).
Halftime: 20-16.