Records galore as Old Golds romp in | Oamaru Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Oamaru

The Old Golds have well and truly announced themselves to this year's Heartland competition after a record-breaking 116-3 win against East Coast on Saturday.

And who remembers last year? North Otago put the memories of the 2009 campaign to bed with the 17-try blitz in Ruatoria in the opening round of the new Heartland season.

The victory eclipsed the former Heartland record for the highest score set by Horowhenua-Kapiti after smashing East Coast 73-7 in Levin two years ago. It was also the most points scored in a match by any of the current Heartland unions.

The 113-point pumping broke the record-winning margin by a Heartland side (66 - set by Horowhenua-Kapiti v East Coast, 2008), and beat the old mark of 11 tries in one game.

North Otago also made the most successful conversions in a Heartland match with 14 (nine to Ben Patston and five to Billy Guyton). Patston beat Simon Porter and M. Adair's North Otago record of eight conversions in a single game, and he also equalled the record for most conversions in a Heartland match by an individual.

Captain Luke Herden got in on the record-breaking act with five tries - the most by any Heartland player in one match. He becomes North Otago's most prolific try-scorer in one game, beating the old record of four set by M.D Fountain (1947), Tevita Fifita (2001 and 2002), and Scott Mayhew (2007).

Coach Barry Matthews was proud of what they had achieved, but he knew the real measuring of this side would be against tougher opposition.

"To be fair, East Coast really didn't want to tackle, and so we got away with a lot. But I did say to the boys after the game, to create history is a very special thing and we should be very proud of what we have achieved as a team," Matthews said.

It became evident early on that North Otago were going to be able to cruise through this game with limited ease after accumulating a 53-3 lead at the break. But what awaited them in the sheds at halftime was a reality check.

"They got a bit of a bollocking at halftime. We weren't sticking to our systems, and guys were out there playing as individuals rather than as a team. The first thing I said was don't even look at the scoreboard - look at yourself, because every single one of you know there are things you could be doing to improve your individual performance," Matthews said.

What followed was a focused performance that will long live into the folklore of North Otago Rugby. The game plan was executed, a further 63 points were scored, and that critical self-belief Matthews had talked about earlier in the week has started to take root.

Matthews said he was glad to see an improvement in continuity and patience that wasn't as evident in the pre-season match against Otago Country the week prior.

North Otago return home this Saturday, where they will face Buller who had a close 23-16 loss against Wairarapa Bush in their season opener. In other pool B action, Poverty Bay had a shock 25-20 win against 2009 finalist Mid-Canterbury.

Pool A saw South Canterbury push Wanganui close in the wet with a 13-6 loss to the defending champs, Thames Valley plastered West Coast in Paeroa 36-18, and King Country came back to beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 17-12.

North Otago 116 (Herden 5, Pangata'a 3, Soane 2, McKenzie 2, Simpson, Mafi, Collier, Fangupo, Sefo tries; Ben Patston 9 conversions, 1 penalty; Billy Guyton 5 conversions), East Coast 3 (Langsford 1 penalty). Halftime: 53-3 (North Otago).