A chorus of boos rang out around Conolly Rugby Complex on Saturday as Angus Le Lievre lined up a penalty goal that would win the premiership for Waratahs.
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However the pressure didn’t get to the Waratahs sharpshooter, who slotted his third penalty in the 28-25 win.
After the game, Le Lievre revealed the experience from training during the week helped him sink Wagga City’s hopes.
“It is not the first I have been in that situation, but on Thursday afternoon I was heckled by about 20 or 30 City fellas so I knew what to expect,” Le Lievre said.
“As much I respect, and maybe it is a bit private schoolie to say this, but generally you respect the kicker when they are kicking so when they came down and booed me on Thursday for about 15 minutes I knew what was going to happen.
“It was just easier to shut them out and I was happy they did it, it made me switch on a bit more.”
In his first season back in Wagga, Le Lievre took all before him.
Not only was he the competition’s leading tryscorer, goalkicker and pointscorer but he was also a runaway winner in the Bill Castle Medal count.
Le Lievre finished on 27 votes, 15 more than runner-up Menzies Seumanutata from Tumut, to be declared the best and fairest in the competition on Saturday.
He wasn’t expecting the victory margin to be so great.
"I’m really honoured to be given the award but at the same you have to be humble and there were other people who deserved it as well,” Le Lievre said.