28 July, 2021

Dramatic win in wet: No raining on this parade

North Shore overcame old foe Takapuna in the 2021 North Harbour Rugby championship final at North Habour Stadium, fighting back from first-half deficit to take control

Shore was the most consistent team of the competition, losing just one match. The semi-final, when it almost let Marist back into the game in the second half, seemed like a wobble. But the composure the side showed in the final put paid to that.

Down 11-0 at half-time, Shore’s refusal to panic and the strength of character shown in scoring two smart tries in appall- ing conditions was a statement of worthy champions.

Like Shore’s last championship-winning side in 2014, the 2021 vintage was a team of very good players, not stars. They played for each other, often with four or five instantly on hand at any breakdown.

Although conceding the odd penalty, handling errors and other mistakes had virtually been eliminated in the final. They were fit and well drilled and they peaked at the right time of the year, adopting an uncompromising style, not unlike the Super Rugby-dominating Crusaders.

It was Shore’s seventh championship. It has also been runner-up 10 times.

Shore has a knack winning the championship a decade apart. It won in 2001, 2011 and now 2021.

With the absence of All Blacks and Super Rugby players from club contests, the local competitions have become closer over the years – and 2021 was no exception.

For a club side, Shore by the end of the year had no obvious weaknesses and plenty of strengths – excellent players in all the key positions: Jarrod Baker/Luke Hamilton at halfback and Connor Hill at first-five; a loose-forward trio (Donald Coleman, Edgar Tu’inukuafe and Sione Teu) who developed into the best in the competition; a rock-solid front row of Alex Woonton, Tom Hardy and Finbarr Kerr- Newell; top-class locks in Jacob Pierce and Adam Batt; and an excellent subs bench.

They were complemented by a large and vocal group of supporters: playing and watching with pride – what club rugby is all about.

Super subs a Shore thing

North Shore’s subs sealed it the match.

After veteran Luke Hamilton replaced Jarrod Baker, six minutes into the second half, the match began to turn Shore’s way.

The starting players had not gone poorly – far from it – but the impact of the subs was marked, with Takapuna tiring and the weather conditions worsening, they gave Shore’s well- drilled pack the upper hand.

Hamilton was outstanding – driving his forwards on with verbal volleys and kicking intelligently. One pressure-reliever, from inside his 22, went into touch in Takapuna’s half. He also tackled well and was a danger round the rucks, with some sniping runs.

Other subs making an impact off the bench were flanker James Fiebig, who added a competitive edge, winger Reid Cooke, who scored a try, and prop Trent Luka, who on several occasions flattened Takapuna attacks with some bone-crunching tackles.

Hamilton had an easier run at halfback as Shore began to dominate and Connor Hill at first-five dictated play, keeping Takapuna pinned largely in its half.

Captain Alex Woonton said Shore’s bench was so strong that any of the players could have made the starting 15.

Dads’ army too explosive for Takapuna young guns

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Luke Hamilton hadn’t played a premier match for North Shore since its championship semi-final loss in 2016.

“I got a call from Bots (coach Frano Botica) a couple of weeks back saying that the reserve halfback had gone down and could I help out.”

Thirty-eight-year-old Hamilton – a 128- game Shore veteran who won North Harbour championships with the club in 2011 and again in 2014 – was back on the team sheet for this season’s semi-final against Marist.

He came on at the end for five minutes: “I said to Bots, you can put me on for longer if you like… I keep fit and have had the odd game for the Bs over the years when they were short.”

The former North Harbour and Northland representative player had lost none of the excitement for the big occasion when the final against Takapuna loomed at North Harbour Stadium.

“I was pumped – was there anyone as excited as me to be running out the tunnel?”

Hamilton retired from rugby to raise a young family – who were at the ground watching him: daughters Kaeleigh (8) and Piper (4), and son Lachie (6), along with wife Krystal.

“I still love playing rugby and it was great to have my family there with me to share the moment,” Hamilton says.

He came on just after half-time and played a pivotal role, along with Shore’s other subs, in turning the game around.

“We were 11-0 down at half-time, but I wasn’t worried: the forwards were going well, we were getting a lot of ball and spent most of the half in Takapuna’s 22.

“I’m actually playing better than when I was young… less of the firecracker and more just passing the ball,” he says.

“It was great to help Shore out and really cool to catch up with Alex and Batts [the two remaining players from the 2014 championship-winning team].”

Alex Woonton celebrated two rugby mile- stones in 2021 – 100 games for North Shore and his third North Harbour championship.

“It’s been pretty crazy. I’ve played seven seasons for North Shore, been in five finals, and now won three championships.”

Few matches would have equalled the inten- sity of the 2021 final, especially for Woonton, Shore’s captain and a prop at the heart of the tight five.

“It was different. In my first championship in 2011, I was the young guy. Now I’m one of the most experienced.”

Even when down 11-0 at half-time, North Shore were calm, Woonton said, “I saw it in the boys’ eyes – there was no doubt we could win the match.”

Throughout the season, Shore had stuck to its game plan “whether we were down 20 points or up 20 points”.

During the final, “at every huddle we would take a breath, make sure we were in the mo- ment, blocking out the noise and talk about sticking to the process and the next play”.

He was delighted his son Archer (3) was at the final. “The Shore supporters are a pretty boisterous bunch and he was a little blown away. But he’s a cool dude and was excited for me as well.”

At 33, Woonton is undecided if he will play in 2022. “I still have a bit of fire burning – I’ll see how I feel after the off-season.”