Bush seals semifinal spot

FIERY: Wairarapa-Bush and East Coast players have a "discussion" as Wairarapa-Bush replacement flanker Ben Pereira lies prone after what was judged to be a dangerous tackle.

It's not often you use the word bizarre to describe a rugby match but that would be an apt description of the Heartland rugby championship fixture between Wairarapa-Bush and East Coast at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.

Wairarapa-Bush won 44-31 to guarantee themselves a place in the Meads Cup semifinals a fortnight down the track but the end result was not the full story of a game which had enough twists and turns to make a crowd go giddy watching it.

Who would have thought, for instance, that Wairarapa-Bush would have a 13-point winning margin when they trailed 21-3 after just 15 minutes of play. Yes, 21-3 and there was no fluke about East Coast's early dominance either. They were jet-propelled from the word go and with their backs regularly finding holes in a tentative Wairarapa-Bush attack they ran in three tries without basically batting an eye-lid.

Thirty minutes into the first half and the situation was not a lot better for the home team. East Coast had scored a fourth try by then against two penalties from Wairarapa-Bush first-five Glen Walters to lead 26-6 and the number of basic handling and passing errors being made by the locals suggested a long day at the office was in prospect.

Then, just as if a switch had been flicked, Wairarapa-Bush came on their game. Flanker Sam Marshall-Wilson showed good strength and determination to thrust himself over for a try and with halftime almost up winger Nathan Hunt was similarly determined to capitalise on an overlap created by fullback Nick Olson's well-timed run. Hunt had to be assisted from the field after his effort but the five points achieved had reduced East Coast's lead to 26-16 at the interval and there was now light at the end of the tunnel.

A spate of penalties against them saw Wairarapa-Bush struggle to get any continuity in their play in the opening stanzas of the second half but the scent of victory became even stronger in the 50th minute when Paul Tikomainavalu, who had replaced Hunt on the wing, charged through the East Coast defences to touch down close to the posts. Glen Walters added the conversion and Wairarapa-Bush trailed 23-26.

It was now on for young and old and five minutes later East Coast found themselves down to 14 men when first-five Te Rangi Fraser was given his marching orders for a dangerous tackle. They were reduced to 13 soon after when player-coach, hooker Ngarimu Simpkins was sin-binned for another misdemeanour.

This then was the ideal time for Wairarapa-Bush to strike and strike they did, replacement flanker Ben Pereira, substituting for skipper Johan Van Vliet who had limped off with an ankle injury, crossing for a try in the 65th minute after a strong surge by the forwards.

Walters converted and Wairarapa-Bush were in front 30-26.

Five minutes later it was the turn of the East Coast forwards to muscle their way towards the Wairarapa-Bush line and prop Ziggy Fisiihoi was awarded the try. Olson provided the required spark, joining his backs at pace on attack and sprinting through and around the East Coast defence to score in a handy position for Walters to convert. Wairarapa-Bush 37, East Coast 31. The news got worse for East Coast when Simpkins was dismissed after receiving his second yellow card, this time for a dangerous tackle on Ben Pereira, who was forced to leave the field as a consequence. And worse still when Wairarapa-Bush's Jamie Hunt chased hard after loose ball right on fulltime and scored Wairarapa-Bush's sixth try.Walters converted and a game which because of the numerous stoppages took almost two hours to complete was finally done and dusted.