2009 Heartland Championship final's wrap

allblacks.com takes a look at the two Heartland finals played this weekend, where Wanganui won the Mead's Cup, and North Otago claimed the Lochore Cup.

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Lets look at the matches!

WANGANUI V MID CANTERBURY

Wanganui came from behind to beat Mid Canterbury 34-13 in the Meads Cup rugby final at Christchurch today to retain the trophy.

Trailing 0-13 after a first half in which little went right for them, the defending champions stormed back to score 24 unanswered points in the first 25 minutes of the second half.

A dropped goal from first five-eighth Leon Mason followed by a converted try to substitute Vance Pereka inside the last 8min was just the icing on the cake for Wanganui.

Hosting a final for the first time, Mid Canterbury deservedly led at halftime after two penalties and a conversion from first five-eighth Kieran Lindsay and a try by fullback Richard Fridd.

Opting to run the ball at every opportunity from the kickoff, Wanganui were met by a watertight line of Mid Canterbury defenders who regularly turned possession over.

Lindsay, the competition's leading points scorer with 115 entering the match, kicked an early penalty to open accounts.

Fridd's converted try came after Wanganui were subjected to an extended period of pressure.

Lindsay added another penalty to complete scoring in the first half but would rue another three easier attempts that went astray.

Wanganui looked a different side in the second stanza.

They struck quickly with a try to blindside flanker Fraser Hammond, who finished off a patient buildup by the forwards close to the tryline.

With Mid Canterbury tiring, play opened up as Wanganui finally hit the lead when Steelie Koro chipped the ball through for fellow midfielder Asaeli Tikoirotuma to collect and muscle through for a well-engineered converted try.

Halfback Denning Tyrell was in fine kicking form, kicking a penalty and four conversions today to end the season with 106 points.

Big No 8 Lasa Ulukuta was next to score another converted try and atone for being sinbinned early in the first half after committing a spear tackle.

At 24-13 and just another 15min to go, Mid Canterbury, who had lost just one game all season before today, ran out of fizz and allowed Wanganui to end the season in style with Mason's dropped goal and Pereka's try.

Mid Canterbury captain James Carr said his side knew Wanganui would come out harder, faster and hungrier in the second half.

"That's exactly what they did. Defence was the key for them in the first half and then they came out and attacked in the second.

"They got a couple of lucky breaks and scored, made some good tackles and there was nothing we could do about it."

NORTH OTAGO V WEST COAST

West Coast's hopes of a maiden divisional rugby title were dashed when North Otago beat them 21-13 in the Lochore Cup final in Greymouth today.

Making their first appearance in a final, West Coast were facing a side who had appeared in five previous divisional finals and won every one.

A nervous start in which they let North Otago's forwards dominate saw them play catch-up rugby after they trailed 0-10 at halftime.

North Otago, the 2002 division three champions and 2007 Meads Cup champions, took control as West Coast gave away some early penalties as they were pinned in defence.

After first five-eighth Daniel Waenga slotted a penalty, North Otago stretched their lead further with the first try of the game in the 13th minute after a well-worked effort from a lineout.

Centre Mike Mullins drew the defence to put fullback Peter Breen through to dot down for Waenga to convert.

West Coast had a chance to score a try late in the first half when a Waenga clearance from behind his goalposts was charged down.

West Coast winger Luke Hughes appeared to have got a faint touchdown in the ensuing melee but the television match official (TMO) called a knock-on.

West Coast were a more settled side in the second half, and with their pack showing more urgency, they had North Otago pinned in defence.

They had two good dabs at scoring but centre James Ward was stopped centimetres short and then Hughes thought he had scored in the corner only for the TMO to rule that he had been held up.

West Coast finally broke through in the 56th minute when nippy wing Maleli Tora scored after a brilliant solo effort over 35m. His try was converted by first five-eighth Josh Cornish.

The introduction of Tane Puki paid dividends for North Otago as the slippery centre wreaked havoc on the West Coast defence, his jinking runs helping his side back on the front foot.

North Otago stretched out with another Waenga penalty and a try to lock Aisake Fonua but West Coast stayed in touch with two Cornish penalties.

It was not until halfback Jason Forrest tucked away a penalty 2min from fulltime that North Otago could think of taking the champagne off the ice.

Meads Cup final in Christchurch:

Wanganui 34 (Fraser Hammond, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Lasa Ulukuta, Vance Pereka tries; Denning Tyrell pen, 4 con, Leon Mason dropped goal) Mid Canterbury 13 (Richard Fridd try; Kieran Lindsay 2 pen, con). Halftime: 0-13.

Lochore Cup final in Greymouth:

North Otago 21 (Peter Breen, Aisake Fonua tries; Daniel Waenga 2 pen, con, Jason Forrest pen) West Coast 13 (Maleli Tora try; Josh Cornish 2 pen, con). Halftime: 10-0.