Heroic defence gets Gladstone home in Tui Cup Final

Gladstone is the toast of Wairarapa-Bush rugby for 2017 beating Martinborough 25-12 to win the senior premier title, at Trust House Memorial Park in Masterton this afternoon.

Although outscoring Martinborough by four tries to one, it was defence rather than attack that got Gladdy home for their first Tui Cup crown since 2011.

Martinborough had long spells of possession showing a willingness to run the ball and asked huge questions of Gladstone’s defence. But the gold-and-blacks were mighty, holding Marty out and then striking when scoring opportunities came their way.

Scoring at key moments also proved crucial and meant that Martinborough was always having to play catch-up and chance their arm.

Gladstone made a sensational start scoring inside the opening three minutes. There was no stopping lock Andrew McLean five metres out and the big fella scored under the posts.

Martinborough immediately set about whipping off the deficit with a wave of attacks. They had plenty of ball and were inventive in their play, but it wasn’t good enough to fool the Gladstone defence.

Against the run of play Gladstone found themselves deep inside Martinborough territory and from nowhere half-back Inia Katia scored in the corner. Referee Alistair Payne ruled interference, however it wasn’t long before Gladstone did chalk up their second five pointer when skipper John Stevenson muscled over the line. First-five eighth Brad Griffith missed the conversion in the swirling wind, but knocked over a penalty a short time later.

Trailing by 15-points, Martinborough continued to be adventurous and weren’t afraid to run with the ball. A yellow card to Gladstone loose forward Bryn Henderson made their task a little easier and it showed when loose forward Jacob Warren came up with a try to make it 15-7 at the break.

As they did in the first half Gladstone started the second in the best possible fashion scoring within a few minutes. From the kick off Gladstone won the ball, cleverly worked play into Martinborogh territory putting them under pressure and lock Andrew Smith found a hole to score.

Whatever it was that Gladstone coach Steve Thompson said to his chargers at the break, it work. Playing with aggression and purpose Gladstone kept up the pressure and were again rewarded when No.8 Eddie Cranston crashed over for another five pointer.

With neither try converted Martinborough trailed 25-7 and felt that they still had a sniff with plenty of time remaining. The southerners tried everything, running from deep inside their own half, and feeding the ball to forwards running at pace. As had been the case throughout the match, the Gladstone defence stood tough and as the clock counted down so too did Martinborough’s first title in 26-years. A late consolation try to loose forward Chris Raymond added respectability to the score, but this game belonged to Gladstone, deserving champions of 2017.

In other matches:

• Marist beat Pioneer 27-14 in the Hodder-Steffert Cup premier two final;
• Masterton Red Star were 29-20 winners over Tuhirangi in the Burger King Senior Reserve;
• Carterton won the Senior Reserves middle four final, 16-14 against Carterton;
• Gladstone won the bottom four, 28-13 against Marist.

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