By Stu Piddington

Temuka co-captain Keith Darby is delighted that his side has finally lifted the Hamersley Cup.

The Magpies are flying high after demolishing defending champions Celtic 41-10 in Saturday's South Canterbury senior club rugby grand final in front of one of the biggest club crowds in a decade at Timaru's Alpine Energy Stadium.

It is the first time in 18 years Temuka have been the senior champions and the embankment was awash with black and white supporters as they cheered the team's every play.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF

Temuka co-captain Keith Darby leads by example with a break against Celtic in their South Canterbury senior club rugby final match.

"It's awesome. We stuck to our game plan and it worked. It is a weight off our shoulders," Darby said.

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"Celtic certainly made us work for it but you would expect that from a side that had won it 10 times in a row.

"I think there will be a few beers to celebrate."

JOHN BISSET/STUFF

Temuka's captains Keith Darby (right) and Paula Fonokalafi celebrate with the Hamersley Cup after beating Celtic in the South Canterbury senior club rugby final.

Celtic coach Andre de Joux said Temuka were outstanding and deserved their victory.

"They forced us to play a game we didn't want to play, they were just ruthless.

"Congratulations to Temuka, they play high risk rugby and it paid off but I also thought our boys showed a lot of guts."

JOHN BISSET/STUFF

Temuka fans cheer their side to victory in the South Canterbury senior club rugby semifinal against Celtic.

Temuka ward councillor Paddy O'Reilly said he was rapt the boys had done the job.

"It will give Temuka a boost, it's a good feeling and will bring the community together."

O'Reilly was close to the action as well having donned the Magpie mascot costume for the afternoon, joking no-one else was silly enough to volunteer.

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Temuka players celebrate after beating Celtic in the South Canterbury senior club rugby final.

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Temuka fans celebrate the team's win over Celtic in the South Canterbury senior club rugby final.

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The Temuka players and family and friends celebrate winning the South Canterbury senior club rugby final.

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Temuka lock Solomone Lavaka scores the first try of the South Canterbury senior club rugby final after just two minutes.

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Temuka's Semisi Paseka is pursued by a bunch of Celtic defenders as he makes a break in his side's South Canterbury senior club rugby grand final win.

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Temuka co-captain Paula Fonokalafi is accompanied by his daughter Tapaita in a celebratory walk around the ground after winning the South Canterbury senior club rugby grand final against Celtic.

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Temuka supporters roar their team on to victory in the South Canterbury senior club rugby final against Celtic.

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Temuka's second five Ricky Neame offloads to Faalele Iosua in the Hamersley Cup senior rugby final win over Celtic.

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Tapaita and Paula Fonokalafi lead the Temuka team on the field ahead of their win over Celtic in the South Canterbury senior club rugby grand final.

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Temuka's Semisi Paseka has teammate Philip Fuls in support as he drives forward against Celtic in the South Canterbury senior club rugby final.

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Celtic's Zac Saunders makes a dab for the tryline during his side's South Canterbury senior club rugby grand final loss to Temuka.

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Celtic players are disconsolate after losing the South Canterbury senior rugby grand final to Temuka.

Former Mackenzie coach Terry Murray said it was the best game of rugby he had seen at the park for a very long time.

"It was like trench warfare at times, it was beautiful to watch."

South Canterbury Rugby Union president Neville Twaddell congratulated Temuka and said the win was a moment to enjoy for a long time.

One moment many of the crowd seemed to enjoy late in the game was when a streaker appeared from the big crowd on the embankment during a break in the play.

Sprinting in only black and white socks he managed to avoid the security staff, do a decent loop and leapt the fence to disappear safely back into the crowd.

Once the final whistle blew their were scenes of joy all over the stadium as the Temuka bench sprinted out to celebrate.

South Canterbury Rugby Union historian Jeremy Sutherland said the first 10 minutes showed Temuka were keen to give the ball plenty of air and it was a great spectacle.

"The Magpies were efficient, accurate and brutal and it worked.

"The big thing was they were also very discipled and the deserved their win.

"The only yellow card was for not wearing a mouth guard."

Sutherland picked the party at Temuka would go all weekend, if not longer.

"Old George Hamersley (who the trophy was named after) would be pretty happy with the result.

"He was at the meeting at a hotel in Temuka in 1875 when the club was formed."

Sutherland said it was Temuka 39th senior club championship, having won 14 of the 19 finals they had appeared in.

"Their only slight disappoint might be they just missed the record grand final winning score, which it held by Mackenzie, who beat Temuka 44-10."

Article added: Monday 29 July 2019