"These were two clubs that let it all hang out and didn't leave anything for tomorrow," Rovers coach Grant Beckingham said.
"It was just a game where whoever could get that extra inch or two when the final whistle blew was going to come out on top. And that's the way it went."
The Pigdogs struck first at the Belleisle High rugby pitch with a try from Damien Long that was converted by Rob LeForte.
Earl Totten replied for the Rovers at the 30-minute mark and Josh Hooper made a beautiful kick against winds estimated at 60-kilometres-per-hour for the conversion to tie it up 7-7.
Belleisle took the lead late in the first half when Caleb Sheppard landed an unconverted try for a 12-7 advantage.
Beckingham noted the Hampton native and flanker Darcy Baskin gave particularly inspiring performances before a crowd of roughly 250 fans.
"(Baskin) just gave 80 minutes of good hard rugby with tremendous tackling," he said.
"We came to end the season with a bang and without a doubt those two guys came out in the forefront."
LaForte tied the tilt 12-12 with an unconverted try early in the final half and the Pigdogs stole the lead after three failed try attempts around the 75-minute mark.
"That was a tremendous goal-line stand for any club," Beckingham said of the Rovers' battle to prevent the winning try.
Belleisle marched down the pitch in the closing minutes desperate to capture what would have been their third Wheaton Cup, symbolic of the Maritime championship. The club last won the Cup two years ago.
"We went back, threatening late in the game probably 12 or 15 metres out," Beckingham said. "We threatened two or three times on the doorstep but just couldn't get it across."
"With another few minutes, who knows what could have happened. But they were a good tackling team who played hard and they deserved the win."
Meanwhile, the Fredericton Loyalists secured their fifth Caledonia Cup in six years by dropping the Halifax Tars 22-17 in the men's A-side Maritime championship game Saturday. Simon Pacey, Scott MacAfee and Malcolm Reeves scored tries for the Loyalists while McAfee also added two converts and a penalty kick. The Caledonia Cup is symbolic of Maritime rugby supremacy.
- with files from Canadaeast News Service
