The importance of this game was evident in the players and the sideline, so much so that referee Smart had to deliver a message to the crowd via OBM number 8 Aorangi Stokes after a number of unsavoury comments were allegedly directed at match officials.
OBM had their chances in the first half thanks to some poor discipline from Waipū, but could not make the most of the possession. The home side looked threatening, only to turn down two easy penalties and spoil a near-certain try with a knock-on just metres from the opposition tryline.
Luckily, the visitors were able to make one of their opportunities count on just before halftime with a great run by OBM's first five which freed up an outside runner to go over and make the score 12-7 at the break.
The second half was a back and forth affair with OBM slowly closing the gap on Waipū with a try and a penalty to draw the score level at 15-all with 20 minutes left. Waipū broke the deadlock with a try close to the posts a few minutes later to give the home side a seven-point lead.
Despite a desperately dramatic final 10 minutes where possession changed hands about six times and OBM had a scrum feed seven metres from opposition line, Waipū held on for what could be a very important win in their finals preparation.
"It was definitely a top of the table clash, there was good quality play from both sides but I thought it was a fair result," Waipū coach Graham Dewes said.
Dewes credited his talented backline for getting the team into good positions to score and said he approved of his team's decision to turn down kickable penalties.
"We are here to score tries and not kick easy penalties, we are here to play," he said.
"In terms of the bigger picture, we've got a kicker who can kick from anywhere and we've got that up our sleeve, so I'd rather work on scoring tries."
After a nervous end to the game, Dewes said there was still a lot to work on before thinking about a finals run.
"No one is going to remember you for going undefeated the whole season and losing in the semifinals so it's just about ticking boxes and working."
OBM coach Mark Seymour said his side, with a few players sitting injured on the sideline, were beaten by a better team.
"We competed but there's no excuses," he said.
"Hopefully we might get another crack at them later in the finals, but there's a bit of footy to go yet before we think about that."
In this weekend's section A results (containing Waipū, Western Sharks, Kamo, Kerikeri and Mid Northern) Western Sharks beat Mid Northern, 41-29, and Kamo beat Kerikeri, 37-29.
In section B (containing OBM, Wellsford, Hora Hora, Hikurangi and Otamatea), Wellsford beat Otamatea, 72-5, and Hikurangi beat Hora Hora, 33-26.
