The Mid Canterbury Hammers are left wondering what went wrong after losing the Heartland Championship Meads Cup final 14-24 to King Country at Ashburton Showgrounds on Saturday.
The Hammers, as defending champions of the cup, were leading 14-5 at halftime, but King Country dominated the last 40.
“We seemed to run out of ideas in that second half,” Hammers head coach Matt Winter said.
Winter thanked Mid Canterbury supporters for their kind words after the match — and the support in the lead up to the game — but days later, said the loss still stings.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” he said.
It has been a long season for Hammers’ players and Winter thought that may have taken its toll.
"Between club and rep games some of our team have been playing since May.”
However, it is the first time the King Country Rams have lifted the Meads Cup and now its gone back to the home of Colin Meads, after whom the cup is named.