Premier rugby: Fatigued Waipu come off second best

Waipu halfback Dalton Barriball gets the backline moving off a scrum during his side's heavy loss to Wellsford. Photo / Tania Whyte

Fatigue was always going to be Waipu's Achilles heel when injury meant more than half their Premier club rugby players have had to play back-to-back games.

After a rousing first half, they led Wellsford 10-7 at the breather but fatigue came to the fore at the start of the second spell in the Tyrepower premier club competition on Saturday.

Waipu lost 47-22 and, with two more rounds to play, the club is keen to keep the current crop of players as well as recruit new ones.

Coach Leon Clyde said his team was forced to field 12 players who also played in the previous Premier Reserves game and they were always going to miss tackles due to fatigue.

"Most of the reserve players played. We had a lot of prem players injured at the start so we have played catch up since. We'll just get through the next two games and finish the season off.

"The club's been plagued with injuries and just not having the depth. Next year, [we're] looking for new players and hopefully, keep these players here and just rebuild."

Hosts Waipu got on the score sheet in just the third minute from an intercept try to wing Ben Lucas. The side could have dotted down again minutes later after fullback Pisi Leilua blocked a Rene Ranger grubber kick and raced down the right flank. Ranger beat Leilua for pace to save the day.

Leilua worked well in tandem with first five Sam Bean and bruising flanker Raikabula Momoedonu, who showed good leg drive and strength to stay on his feet.

He touched down for Waipu's second try after scooping the ball in a ruck and diving over.
Wellsford pulled one back through centre Boyd Flavell on the stroke of halftime.

It was a dream start to the second half for the visitors as Ranger, fullback Matt Wright and Jordan Hyland combined with a potent mix of explosive running and slick handling to cut open the Waipu defence.

While Ranger was at his spontaneous best, free-wheeling, attacking the line, keeping the ball alive and offloading with ease, Wright ranged with great effect down the tramlines.

Wright made a scything run down the blindside with Hyland in support but he dummied, stepped infield and scooted under the posts to score seconds after the breather.

Neil Warnock barged from close range and No 8 Makameimoana Halapio got on the score sheet shortly after and suddenly Wellsford began to run riot.

Just when Waipu closed the gap to 28-17 and were back hot on attack, Wellsford winger Ryan Egerton intercepted a pass and galloped 50 metres to score.

For Waipu, there was just more beef up front, which helped their scrum from which the backs got good front foot ball in the opening stanza.

Wellsford's Rene Ranger looks to offload as Waipu's Popoai Finau closes in during their Tyrepower Premier club rugby match. Photo / Tania Whyte Photo / Tania Whyte

Props Luatangi Li and Benjamin Tou were the prime cuts and whichever way one slices them, they are both massive in set-piece play with good support runners.

Wellsford coach Stu Oldfield said his side had a bit of momentum going into halftime— something they haven't had this year.

"I said to the boys that we needed to be the first team to score and you can say it, it doesn't normally happen but to have three tries was pretty outstanding.

"We've got an awesome backline, we can throw the ball around and score from anywhere so we just said to them to throw it around, give it a go and obviously it worked."

Oldfield said he felt for Waipu as they tired towards the end of the first half.

Although out of the running, the side is aiming to win the next two matches.

In the other premier games from over the weekend, Western Sharks thumped Hikurangi 45-5, Hora Hora beat Ngati Hine Moerewa 48-19, Kamo lost to Mid Northern 42-22, and Old Boys Marist continued their winning form with a 47-19 win over Kerikeri.