It was a genuine team effort from the victors.
After the early wobbles, Stratford-Eltham laid it on, scooting away to a 21-0 lead through three converted tries in the opening 24 minutes.
The first try was a real confidence booster for Stratford-Eltham when they mauled Southern from the lineout, with Harry Hansen, son of former Hurricane Bruce, scoring. In many respects it set the tone of the match, where Southern’s forwards, scrums aside, were outshone by Stratford-Eltham.
That was illustrated again 15 minutes into the game when Stratford-Eltham walked over the top of a ruck 30m out from the Southern line and Leone Nawai put away Adam Lennox to score.
Completing the opening whitewash, Semisi Balenaisa finished off a 60m movement following another Southern turnover, with Nawai, Lennox and Vereniki Tikoisolomone — including a dexterous chip and regather — handling.
New Taranaki Bulls squad member Obey Samate converted all three, impressively putting to one side a misfired opening penalty attempt.
It gave the game a degree of inevitability. But Southern didn’t die.
They were prepared throughout the afternoon to give the ball plenty of air — although that did cost them on occasions when they attempted it from their own quarter — and a skip pass from the first scrum they had in enemy territory led to Tane Leatherby scoring. Brent Ashton-Landers converted.
While Samate retorted with a penalty, Stratford-Eltham failed to take the restart, with Benny Katene being awarded a try in the corner.
That carried the score to 24-14 at the break. The game was still very much alive.
But, just as in the first stanza, it was all Stratford-Eltham for the opening 20 minutes of the second spell. Southern defended purposefully before Samate found his way over, beating three would-be tacklers in the process.
A further Samate penalty seven minutes from time — giving the first five-eighth five from seven off the tee in an excellent performance — sewed the game up.
Leatherby had the final say with another try, which Ashton-Landers converted, but it was academic by then. Southern’s scrum was clearly superior, although Stratford-Eltham was able to negate that with early wheels. But their lineout malfunctioned, with Stratford-Eltham controlling most of the possession and territory in their triumph.
Clifton thrashed Southern 55-0 in the women’s final. New Plymouth Old Boys held on to beat Southern 23-21 to claim the division one trophy. Patea beat Bell Block in division two 17-15. Tukapa beat Inglewood in a thrilling U21 final 22-19, and Southern scored a last-minute try to overcome Tukapa in division three 31-30.
