James Hemara scores one of his two tries in King Country's 47-34 Lochore Cup final victory over North Otago at Te Kuiti.

A brace of tries from Rob Sherson, James Hemara and Iliesa Tavuyara gave King Country the Lochore Cup over North Otago on Saturday.

The hosts at Te Kuiti won 47-34 to take the second-tier Heartland Championship final in a try-fest, with the hosts dotting down seven times as the visitors replied with four of their own.

King Country completely dominated the first half-hour through a mixture of suffocating defence and fluidity on attack.

North Otago gained first possession but weren't able to get out of their own half in the first five minutes. When King Country forced a turnover, they quickly capitalised as right winger Iliesa Tavuyara's inside pass saw fullback James Hemara score the opening try in the right corner.

Hemara made it a double in the 17th minute when he scored in the same spot after a strong carry from blindside flanker Anthony Wise and Zayn Tipping's conversion and a penalty eight minutes later gave King Country a 15-0 lead.

Ben Palmer's penalty put North Otago on the scoreboard and when halfback Inoke Naufahu made a great break to set-up second-five Lemi Masoe's try, Palmer's conversion had closed the gap to 15-10.

Hemara featured again to set up Tavuyara for King Country's third try but Naufahu's reply on the stroke of halftime and Palmer's conversion somehow meant an outplayed visiting side trailed by just three points.

Tavuyara again put the hosts on the front foot at the start of the second spell when he scooped up a loose ball on halfway, beat two defenders and sprinted to the corner for an outstanding individual try.

But another Palmer penalty soon after reduced the gap again to 25-20 and when Naufahu backed up a strong Masoe run to jink his way to his second try, Palmer's conversion gave North Otago their first lead in the 47th minute.

Tipping replied in kind to put the hosts ahead 28-27 and when No 8 Sherson powered over from the back of a scrum, they again held the advantage.

However, Sherson was yellow-carded for a high tackle and while in the sin-bin, the visitors launched a sensational length-of-the-field counter-attack through winger Sala Halaleva that was only stopped by a thumping tackle from Joe Perawiti when North Otago looked destined to score.

That was North Otago's last chance of victory, as King Country replacement Manuele Alofa powered over out wide and Tipping converted to give him a century of points for the season.

Sherson further delighted the Te Kuiti faithful with another try off the back of a scrum with support from his pack this time, while Maene Mapusaga gave North Otago a consolation try after the final siren.

Lochore Cup final: King Country 47 (James Hemara 2, Iliesa Tavuyara 2, Rob Sherson 2, Manuele Alofa tries; Zayn Tipping 3 con, 2 pen) North Otago 34 (Lemi Masoe, Inoke Naufahu 2, Maene Mapusaga tries; Ben Palmer 4 con, 2 pen). HT: 20-17.