Taranaki Rugby looks back at some memorable finals played part of the CMK flashback.

Spotswood United players and supporters were reduced to tears after the club won their maiden championship last year.

The tight 18-13 win over Coastal in front of over 5,000 spectators at Yarrow Stadium meant a lot to so many people in the club, according to Spotswood United Life Member and Vice President Royce Kisby.

Prior to that emotion, Spotswood United had to fight for the win after losing twice to Coastal in round-robin play. Coastal went into the game as favourites after pipping New Plymouth Old Boys a week prior and had been in the last two finals.

It was a tit-for-tat final but Spotswood United pivot Josh Jacomb, who went into the game as the highest points scorer in the competition, led the way with his boot.

Kicking eight points, the former Sacred Heart College 1^st XV player controlled the backline and set up the last try when Tyrese Ratahi collected a chip over Coastal’s line to score.

That was the final say and a moment the Spotswood United supporters will remember fondly.

“To see the supporters, who couldn’t get down on the ground, in tears made it obvious what it meant to them. We’ve missed out on the top four and lost semi-finals before and it was probably more relief that we won than anything else,” Kisby said.

“We’ve won a few age grade and other championships but not a premier title.”

That emotion would have been building up for years. After the amalgamation of the Star and Spotswood Old Boys clubs in 1990, only once has Spotswood United made the final. That was in 1995 when New Plymouth Old Boys were in the middle of their six consecutive titles.

Kisby said it was a been a big moment for club volunteers and administrators who have stuck through Spotswood United’s journey, where, at times, struggled to put a senior team onto the paddock.  

It wasn’t only supporters and administrators who were reduced to tears, but also the players, which reflected the efforts they put in during the season.

Kisby said there were a range of players, who had varying levels of experience, from Matt Goodwin, Warwick Lahmert and Paul Perez all very emotional after the game.

“For a lot of those guys it was their first championship. Not many players get to achieve that. Even All Blacks and Super players never get to achieve it. For some players winning a championship is their ultimate goal,” he said. 

Kisby, who is heavily involved in match days at the club, said Spotswood United is seen as the lesser of the three city clubs but was confident prior to the finale.

“It could have gone either way, but we were confident by the way we played in the semi-final [against Tukapa].”

After the win, 165 game Spotswood United stalwart and captain Matt Goodwin said, ‘words cannot describe the feeling.’

Now nearly a year on from that calm Saturday afternoon, he said it was a proud moment seeing the club progress from what was considered to be the ‘bottom of the barrel and the laughing stock of Taranaki club rugby’ to currently being at the top.

“I also got a bit of a hard time and a few nasty comments from other clubs for choosing to play at Spotswood. So that had always been a bit of a driving force for me to see the team succeed.”

When the final whistle blew, it was a mixed bag of emotions for Goodwin, who joined the club in 2004.

“Obviously, the joy of winning was right up there, being able to celebrate with some of the other boys who have been trying for a while. I was just so stoked to be a part of making history for the club.

“There was also a bit of relief to finally get one after having a team with so much potential for a few seasons.”

He said the ending came with a bit of sadness too after a close friend of Goodwin’s died during the season and he wasn’t able to join in the celebrations.

“I guess knowing deep down it would probably be my last season playing was a bit of a sombre feeling too,” he said.

Even today, the win is still fresh in people’s minds, according to Kisby.

“We still have people coming into the club to take photos with the trophy,” he said.

Can Spotswood United defend the McMasters Shield?

“It will be difficult to get things to the same level before lockdown. It’s going to be short and sharp to get into a semi-final spot, but it is what it is,” he said.

Spotswood United: Jared Proffit, Matt Goodwin (c), Sione Sifa, Callum McDonald, Micaiah Torrance-Read, James Grogan, Tristan Lamhert, Johnny Fatetogoai-Malase, Warwick Lahmert, Josh Jacomb, Moses Christie, TJ Ane, Paul Perez, Poniani Batinui, Tyrese Ratahi. Reserves: Viliami Ahoi, Asaeli Sorovaki, Pita-Gus Sowakula, Jacob Bourke, Emerson Gray, Maika Rova, Selesitino Kalounivale.

Coaches: Mitch Williams, Brent Perrett and Warwick Lahmert.

Coastal: Liam Hurley, Sam Lawn, Chris Gawler, Josh Lord, Alexio Kauvalu, Jeremy Newell (c), Blake Barrett, Tevita Fa’ukafa, Logan Crowley, Rick McKenna, Liam Parker, Jacob Gopperth, Josh Thomson, Arepa Bishop, Troy Stevenson. Reserves: Dylan Schuler, Andrew Lane, Kelvin Weir, David Hughes, Andrew Trolove, Thys van der Poel.

Coaches: Aaron Fisher and Ricky Tito.

Referee: Trent Mischefski

CMK Chartered Accountants are proud partners of Taranaki club rugby. CMK Chartered Accountants have been providing accounting, taxation and business development support to clients for nearly 70 years. They take pride in working closely with their clients at all stages of growth, to structure their business to maximise both profit and efficiency.

Article added: Wednesday 03 June 2020