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| 24/6/09 Wanganui show spirit needed for Shield Test By David Ogilvie With Manawatu ahead 26-0 after 23 minutes in yesterday's rugby match in Palmerston North, Wanganui coach Guy Lennox joked he was considering sending a message to Ranfurly Shield holder Wellington going something like this: "Please don't come." But at the end of the game, with Wanganui still the loser but a very respectable one at 31-12 after that start, Lennox and captain David Gower are looking forward to the July 9 challenge match in Wanganui with a bit more enthusiasm. Wanganui was outpaced in that first 23 minutes, but from that point actually outscored first division Manawatu 12-5 and made some of their pretenders look rather shabby in doing so. But let's make this point - a couple of Manawatu officials afterwards suggested only four of the poor Manawatu second half XV would be starters in the Air New Zealand Cup. Key playmakers were missing especially - but then so they were from Wanganui, with Denning Tyrell, Leon Mason and Mark Davis all absent with injury. So on the playmaking front, both teams started the match on level pegging. Manawatu hit that 26 through four tries in that first 23 minutes, three of them from turnovers well up the park. But as Wanganui came to grips with the sharper pace of the game, the experienced heads like David Gower and Peter Rowe started to close up the gaps in the inside defence - and Manawatu was left relatively clueless from that point. Wanganui's first try just before the interval came from a nice break in midfield by Cameron Crowley off an inside pass from second-five Honi Peeti, with big Lasa Ulukuta finishing the job. The second, after half an hour in the second half, was another good one from a blindside break by replacement Dion Hyland, who put another replacement in Darren Munro across untouched. It was a bit sad then that Wanganui gave a away a cheap last minute try to spoil that 50 or so minutes of good endeavour - one marked by the ability to learn quickly and adjust to the pace of the game. The scrum was good, the lineout okay until replacements came on later, and the loosies were outstanding. A little bit too much ball was needlessly kicked away, and that would be very fatal against Wellington - but that's another lesson to be learnt. Crowley, Sam Scown and Peeti all showed good character in that backline, Ulukuta also looked at home on the wing - but the old heads in the forwards, and a not-so-old one in lock Mike Fitzgerald stood out in the forwards. Fitzgerald, playing his club rugby in Manawatu, in fact did so well he probably cemented his spot in the Manawatu squad and therefore Wanganui will be without him this season. Lennox suggested jokingly that he had players trying to pull him down in the lineout and others grabbing his jersey to stop him making tackles - in an effort to keep him hidden from Manawatu eyes. But Fitzgerald was too good for that. And that's sad, because he would be very handy against Wellington. Nonetheless, a spirited effort against the holder looks right on the cards - even if the task is daunting. Scorers: Manawatu Evergreens 31 (Daniel Smith 2, Kurt Baker, Lloyd Carter, Lisiata Tohacece tries; Carter 3con) Wanganui 12 (Lasa Ulukuta, Darren Munro tries; Andy Hamilton con). |
| 9/7/09 Ranfurly Shield: Wanganui proves a handful Click here for full video match replay The final score in this one, 6-61 flatters to deceive for the pros from the capital who were given all they could handle for long periods of this game by a plucky Wanganui side that refused to go away and held possession for long periods. While its disappointing that we didn't score a try, this was a much tougher challenge for a Wellington team sporting 4 Super players and a host of returning under-20 world champions than the drubbing of Bush by an inferior Lions side the week before. Wanganui found it tough in the early going, turning over a fair bit of possession but turned it round after the first quarter at the breakdown led by heroic captain David Gower, playing with knee ligament damage after a fall this week on his farm. The cover D stepped up well to stymie a number of first half chances (ht score 23-3) for Wellington and the Butcher Boys ran it back at the big city boys hard throughout the game while finding few holes. Wellington only really laid it on in the last 10mins with 7 Wanganui subs on. Still, a worthy performance that augurs well for the Heartland comp given that key players will be returning to the side. NZPA Report Wellington were made to work hard for their rewards before retaining rugby's Ranfurly Shield against Wanganui today. Wellington won their second shield defence of the season 61-6 at Cooks Gardens in Wanganui but not before the home side asked questions of their resolve. A week after swatting aside Wairarapa-Bush 90-19 in Masterton, Wellington expected a sterner challenge, and they got it, too. Wanganui held the visitors to 6-26 until midway through the second half before two tries within one minute to wing David Smith and second five-eighth Charlie Ngatai gave the visitors sudden momentum. The lower division Means Cup champions actually had the better of the contest for 20min up until that point but they lacked the cutting thrust and pace in the backs to make full use of the possession won by their forwards. Smith clinically finished a move notable for some outstanding handling by fellow winger Alipate Leiua, who retained hold the ball by rolling it on his hip before spreading it wide. All of 60 seconds later Ngatai scored himself after centre Shaun Treeby pulled off an intercept, and 8min later Treeby joined the tryscorers' list when Leiua beat two defenders on the right flank. Leiua was then gifted the space he needed to stroll in for his second try with 5min remaining on the clock, before Treeby broke three tacklers to set up replacement Frae Wilson to raise the half century. Wanganui fully deserved a try of their own, but they were twice denied when they looked likely in the last quarter, with fullback Asaeli Tikoirotuma involved in both instances. Tikoirotuma set off for the tryline at one stage only to be called back for a forward pass and later was dragged down less than 1m short of his target by desperate Wellington defenders. |
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