Oscar’s star turn worthy of an award

All smiles… Oscar Koller on the way to his second try, late in the match, leaving his opposite number Jack Heighton in his wake – and Takapuna supporters feeling glum

Two tries, three penalties and a conversion. If it was a movie, North Shore first five-eighth Oscar Koller’s 21-point haul in the final would have been an Academy Award-winning performance.

After a break late in the season due to a hamstring injury, and a quietish game against Northcote in the semi-final, Koller was back to his brilliant best against Takapuna.

His only missed kick – an attempted conversion of his first try – hit the post.

In addition to his points scoring, Koller was a powerful defender and his positional kicking was excellent, particularly in the second half, keeping Takapuna pinned in its own half for extended periods.

A top-performer with the 2020 TGS Ist XV, Koller (22) has come of age in 2023, in his second season with North Shore after a stint in Canterbury.

He has a North Harbour contract, and some pundits were last weekend picking that a Super Rugby slot may not be too far away.