Powerful Wanganui beat Coast

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RUGBY

Yes, it’s hard. But that’s rugby.

East Coast under-16s lost the first game of their three-match Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council Division B campaign for the Saracens Cup in Masterton yesterday.

A powerful Wanganui side beat them 80-12. But the Sky Blues’ two tries — to first five-eighth Reweti Fisher and blindside flanker Samiel Dewes, the Dewes try converted by Fisher — speak to the courageous persistence of the David Newton-coached Coast.

“The defensive effort from all of our boys was outstanding but, for me, (openside flanker) Te Hewa Ruha stood out,” captain and loosehead prop Porourangi Nepia-Poutu said.

“Te Hewa chopped them down.”

Wanganui left wing Rangi Kui opened the scoring on Marist’s No.2 ground four minutes into the game. The Coast responded through Fisher in the eighth minute to close it to 7-5.

For Wanganui, lock Hunter Morrison and first-five Anthony Sellars crossed in the 10th and 16th minutes respectively before Kui — in the 18th and 23rd minutes — completed his hat-trick.

In the 28th, Dewes scored for the Coast, and Fisher kicked the conversion to close it to 33-12.

Morrison’s locking partner AJ Malili Malo-Lauano scored in the 35th minute. Fullback Tomasi Connor converted all bar Kui’s third try, and Wanganui were 40-12 up at the break.

Wanganui’s second-half tries came from Connor (2), centre Brandon Burberry (2), openside flanker Rongomai Wanoa-McLean and replacement first-five Harry Godfrey.

Connor kicked 10 out of a possible 12 conversions in his 30 point-haul.

Today, East Coast were to play the Hawke’s Bay development team and Wanganui were to take on Horowhenua Kapiti, with both games being played at Rathkeale College.