Sydenham end 23 year drought with Metro Premier success

The long wait has finally ended for Sydenham, with the club securing their first Metro Premier title since 1999 over the weekend with a 23-15 win over Marist Albion.

In front of a full Rugby Park, it was the men in red and blue who opened the scoring, with a Jack MacLeod penalty to round off the first ten minutes easing the early nerves.

It set up an even first half, with both teams managing to get over the chalk once apiece before half time. The lineout maul for Marist Albion, a weapon of theirs that was put to good use against Lincoln University, and Sydenham’s Gibson Popoalii the try scorers over the first 40.

Carefully poised at the break 13-10, Sydenham never relented their lead, drawing the first blood of the half by extending their lead out to 23-10 in the 55th minute. That try to stalwart Tumama Tu’ulua was another example of the attacking effeciency the Canstaff Cup holders showed throughout the game, capitalising consistently when they had the ball in opposition territory.

As while Marist Albion controlled the majority of possession and territory, errors and a strong Sydenham defence meant they could only muster 5 points in the second half, thanks to a silky run by substitute Luke Gill in the 71st minute.

In the end, it proved too little, too late for the Power, with Sydenham seeing out the rest of the game to be crowned deserved Canstaff Metro Premier Champions.

This title has been a long time coming for Sydenham, some 8,401 days to be precise, and will be one celebrated long into the future at the Cashmere Club.