Ponsonby is back in the Gallaher Shield winners’ circle after a seven-year hiatus, removing any doubt around its pre-eminence in 2018 club play.

Before a crowd of 2748 on an often sun-drenched Eden Park, Ponies annexed their 49th senior championship, as far as records can be ascertained, since their birth in 1874. Several of those titles were won before the 1883 formation of the Auckland Rugby Union. It includes no less than 34 Gallaher Shield wins, by a distance the most in union history.

On the back of a Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa double, 20 points by right wing Johnny Cooper and a tigerish display at the breakdown, Ponsonby now have possession of three of the four Auckland premier club trophies. Along with the coveted Gallaher, they also have the Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield and the pre-season Waka Nathan Challenge Cup in the clubrooms of their Western Springs base.

Furthermore, this was Ponsonby’s first appearance in the decider since 2011, when they won the last of their eight straight championships. First five Rocky Khan was the sole Ponsonby survivor from that starting line-up and he offered some much-needed control for his team this afternoon.

The University-Ponsonby rivalry is a strong one between two of the great old clubs of the union. They played epic finals in 1983, ’84 and ’86, two of which were won Ponsonby, who also comfortably took the 2009 season decider. Ponies head coach Peter Leuluso’o is a former University midfielder, while No 8 Taina Fox-Matamua, adjudged the player of the day, is younger brother of former loose forward dynamo for the students, Nepia Fox-Matamua.

Ponsonby started with real intent, Cooper crossing off a burst by centre Patrick Tausie. University, however, roared back onto attack, halfback Brenton Helleur kicking three goals, sandwiching a try to lock Hamish Munro, set up by busy No 8 Uini Fetalaiga. Helleur, 13 years after his senior debut, was working nicely in tandem with Jonathan Ruru, and the pair would often let the other go first to the ruck to clear the ball. But Ruru is clearly a No 9 playing out of position, though he takes the ball to the line.

Ponies No 6 Riedlinger-Kapa finished off a nice movement for the first of his two scores. But Varsity was tough to shake, despite trailing 17-13 at the break. An offload by fullback Paoraian Manuel-Harman sent over openside flanker Angus Duckett.

The Ponies loose trio of Fox-Matamua, captain Aleks Dabek and Riedlinger-Kapa had the wood on their Varsity counterparts. A surging run by Fox-Matamua, not the first or last of the day by the impressive No 8, set up Riedlinger-Kapa. The tide had turned. It helped that replacement halfback Danny Tusitala, a former Samoa Sevens rep, brought spark just when it was required. He scored a decisive try out wide after his high ball was not properly defused by the students.

Despite a late surge by University which saw Fetalaiga cross, Ponies had the control and had the game. Cooper’s late penalty goal gave him six from seven off the tee.

Ponsonby has not lost a final since 1991 against Marist, showing once again its finals pedigree, and this was a prime way to farewell departing director of rugby Nathan Kemp. University was in its fifth final in the last six seasons.

Ponsonby 35 (Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa 2, Johnny Cooper, Danny Tusitala tries; Cooper 3 con, 3 pen) University 23 (Hamish Munro, Angus Duckett, Uini Fetalaiga tries; Brenton Helleur con, 2 pen) HT: 17-13 Ponsonby

By Campbell Burnes