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Marist coaches Reid Stiven and Deryck Rowse could only stand and cogitate as if watching the mushroom blast from an atomic bomb after their team's defeat on Saturday. Marist had clawed back to 10-5 against leader College Old Boys and 20 minutes later, at game's end, the scoreboard read 36-5 to COB. This in a match between what had been the only teams with two wins in the top six. If there were conditions which could have caused COB to come unstuck, it was the wet, heavy back ground at Arena Manawatu. But it in the end, Marist appeared to run out of juice and the COB backs carved up. COB won't have arch orchestrator Aaron Good from now on, but it is still not clear if anyone can roll COB, which has won 14 on the trot this season. Stiven could only reflect.
"It was disappointing for us because we're better than that. We had a lot of backs out and they (COB) react so well to space," he said. "I don't think they're unbeatable. Marist might have been without Johnny Leota, Mike Stack and Simeli Tuiteci, but COB could count out Andre Taylor (he played the last five minutes), Junior Tomasi Cama and Jason Morgan, who tore a hamstring after a few minutes. One more win should take Marist into the semifinals while Feilding has almost done enough. Feilding Old Boys have had two consecutive losses and must beat one of COB or Kia Toa, which is in trouble after three straight losses. Te Kawau and the re-born Linton Army are red-hot tips for the top two in the bottom six, although Oroua showed it could beat a team besides Freyberg by running away from Bush. VARSITY 32 KIA TOA 8
Both teams were heavily short of frontline players, three Turbos each, but Varsity's depth, especially in the loose forwards, was telling. So was scoring six tries to one to leave Kia Toa with a win in three games. All of Varsity's tries were scored out wide, hence only one conversion. Three tries came in the first half after Varsity had most of the territory, one from a lineout, another off a scrum; and Varsity was also missing lock Jason Cudby (in the United States). Kias try came on halftime to close it to 15-8. Varsity got another to lead 20-8, but Kia Toa then attacked for 20 minutes without result. Varsity rebounded with two late tries to put it beyond doubt. Jeremy Pigou, Stu Ross and lock Kingsley Teppett went well for Kias as did Dan Waldon, Callum Gibbins, Scott Lewis and Dan Webby for the scholars. At Rugby Institute:
Varsity 32 (Callum Gibbins 2, Hamish Clare, Daniel Webby, Paul Tietjens, Blair Robinson, tries; Chris Brown con)
Kia Toa 8 (Jeremy Pigou try; Tawhiti Walsh pen)
HT 15-8. COLLEGE OB 36 v MARIST 5
With the ground saturated, COB made heavy weather of it, running everything riskily in the backs instead of plugging the corners. Marist wing Yohei Shinomiya should have scored early, but misjudged his dive for the ball over the line. After that COB had most of the ball and territory, Aaron Cruden lost the ball going over in the corner, but the pressure paid off, Fabian Snaith slipping tackles to score and fullback David Walker brushing off Jason Temara for his. Marist had to make a huge effort to get in COB's half, but big Iliki Naikatini surged over from a lineout in the middle of the second half. That provoked the COB backs to pour through big gaps in a flagging defence, Aaron Good, Walker, Thomas Trollope, Tim Iro, Matenga Baker and Snaith cutting up and could have scored more tries. At Arena Manawatu:
COB 36 (Fabian Snaith 2, David Walker, Thomas Trollope, Aaron Good, Aaron Cruden tries; Cruden 3 con)
Marist 5 (Iliki Naikatini try)
HT 10-0. LINTON ARMY 58 FREYBERG 5
Even without Turbos Hayden Triggs and Aaron James, Linton raced in for nine tries to one by Freyberg's Joel Burns when he charged down a kick. By the end, Linton was doing as it wanted, running through tackles. Anything the outgunned and outweighed Freyberg tried turned to custard, Linton dominating scrums and mauls. In the first half, Freyberg only got into Linton's half to kick off, aside from Burns' chargedown. With Freys down to a walk, Linton snatched turnovers through its ace loose trio and handled the ball skilfully. For Freys, Elliki Gavidi and Dan McLean were lone rangers. At FMG Stadium:
Linton 58 (Jeremy Evans 2, Nick Wickham 2, Matt Oldridge 2, Dane Berghan 2, Jimmy Reid, Eugene Hepi, tries; Jon Adams 2, Dauwie Morgan, Casey Lowe cons)
Freyberg 5 (Joel Burns)
HT 24-5 OROUA 31 BUSH 5
Bush had won this one 32-18 in round one at Kimbolton, but for the Bush men, moved to Woodville, it was like an away game. They badly missed Turbos Matty James and Frank Bryant. It was more even than the score showed, the Bush forwards behind Jared Brock and Brandon Young played well, but their ball retention was poor, and lively Oroua flanker Ian Honeyfield grabbed a ton of ball. Oroua's lineout was average and it was short of props, so coach Boy Mananui stripped. However, men like Adam Digby and Shane Bird tore into it, the tight five rampant, driving over the ball in numbers. Oroua was more urgent, Jason Holland dictating play. Bush got its rolling mauls going, but went too far and let in two easy tries at the end, second-five Mike Morrison the only one of the backs to shape up. At Woodville:
Oroua 31 (Shane Bird 2, Adam Digby, Walker Jacobs tries; Jacobs 4 con, pen)
Bush 5 (Greg Harding try)
HT 17-5. FEILDING 31 FEILDING OB 14
Feilding ruled the second half, coming back from 14-7 down at halftime for a comprehensive win, scoring five tries to two. FOB reverted to a one-dimensional driving game, putting the ball through a huge number of phases and both tries came that way, one on the stroke of halftime to break the 7-all deadlock. FOB had 80 percent of the ball in the first spell, but Feilding defended doggedly in its own 22. Once the FOB forwards were nullified, it ran out of options and Feilding often upset the FOB lineout. In the second half Feilding decided to run back FOB's kicks and opened it up, as well as scoring two tries from lineout drives, going well against FOB up front. A try five minutes after halftime was crucial and the fifth came on fulltime. At Johnston Park:
Feilding 31 (Paula Maisiri 2, Dave Marshall, Brad Powell, Sami Hau tries; Brad Carr 3 con)
FOB 14 (Crete Cribb, Exham Wichman, tries; Gavin Wairau 2 con)
HT 7-14. TE KAWAU 16 HSOB 8
A highlight of a game in which few players stood out was a 15-metre break by veteran HSOB prop Kane Barry. HSOB did score one try from its backline, but that was it, Te Kawau finishing stronger on a field which held up despite the pre-game rain. The first half was even (3-all at halftime), but both packs were disappointing, with poor lineout work, penalties going both ways and unnecessary niggle. The second half was also forwards orientated, Te Kawau up 60-40 in the territory stakes. Te Kawau scored soon after the break when Pio Savali tore 40 metres up the sideline. Its other try came from broken play and Luke Harvey was given the overlap. A penalty on fulltime cost HSOB its bonus point. At Rongotea:
Te Kawau 16 (Pio Savali, Luke Harvey tries; Anthony Porima, Leighton Amey pens)
HSOB 8 (Joe Harawira try; Frank Lene pen)
HT 3-all. |
