First was jubilation.
The Shepparton Bulls had just won their first game of the Victorian Rugby Premiership season to break a dry spell spanning almost two years, and spirits were sky high.
Second came confusion.
Because, as coach Sonny Tahuriorangi found out, most of his players didn’t know the team song.
It summed up an occasion punctuated with peaks and troughs, but for Tahuriorangi, the Bulls’ 23-14 triumph over Northern Panthers could, and perhaps should, have been much clearer cut.
“Some of the boys were really excited, but personally, I was glad if anything,” he said.
“I was upset with how we played in the last 20 minutes because we should have beaten them by way more.
“Instead of sticking to our structure, we got sucked into playing their game.”
An early try to the Panthers shocked Tahuriorangi’s Bulls into life.
Utilising the bigger bodies in the forward pack, the Bulls muscled their way past the Panthers at will, with Paea I Piula Salesi, Poonokerisiano Tuiletufuga and Isimeli Tabaramusu crossing the line during what turned out to be a storied day at Vibert.
“Once we got going, you could see everything we’ve been working on in training come together — our set moves and forward pack dominated,” Tahuriorangi said.
“If our backline could match our forward pack, I don’t think we’d lose many games.
“We annihilated them in the scrum.”
Now approaching the back end of the season, Tahuriorangi has targeted the final stretch as a chance to regain some face after what has been a frustrating campaign.
It all starts on Saturday with a road trip to take on Kiwi Hawthorn, the first in a run of matches the Bulls coach has deemed winnable.
“With only five games left, we want to make sure we finish on a high,” he said.
“The rest of the games are against teams on our level and I think we have every chance of winning them.
“You could feel the vibe at training on Tuesday; the boys are now realising we are capable of matching it with the best and that is a good sign for next year if anything.”
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