By Gary Caffell
It was appropriate that Nick Olson should score arguably the best of the four tries scored by Wairarapa-Bush in their encouraging 29-14 win over Poverty Bay in the Jeremy David Memorial Trophy representative rugby match played in the wet at Gisborne on Saturday.
Olson was making his 50th appearance for Wairarapa-Bush and his try came after some excellent teamwork had created panic stations in the home team's defence.
This was a game Wairarapa-Bush deserved to win.
They had the elements in their favour in the first half and responded splendidly to the message of playing for territory and securing a handy enough lead to make it difficult for Poverty Bay to bridge the gap in the second half.
By halftime Wairarapa-Bush led 22-0 and after both teams scored converted tries to make it 29-7 the score remained there until very late in the second half when Poverty Bay managed another converted try to give a little more respectability to the final scoreline.
It was their structure which was the most impressive aspect of the Wairarapa-Bush performance.
They were more organised on both attack and defence than Poverty Bay and had greater unity up front as well.
A feature was the implementation of the new scrum laws which saw the two forwards packs come closer together before the "hit" and Wairarapa-Bush could be more than satisfied with their showing in that phase of the game.
In the lineouts too they had the edge through the combined efforts of James Goodger, Lachie McFadzean and Clarke Butcher.
Newcomer Nathan Iro was an absolute menace with ball in hand.
Seldom was he halted by the first tackle and likewise skipper Johan Van Vliet who ran powerfully all game.
Prop Finnbarr Kerr-Newell was another to impress with his mobility about the paddock.
Starring for Wairarapa-Bush backs was halfback Joseph Sio, who only got called into the side. He impressed in his bid for force his way into the Heartland championship squad.
His passing was brisk and he was never afraid to run the ball back at the opposition.
Throw in some sturdy defence and his was a fine all-round effort.
Pleasing too was the solid midfield defence of Titapu Pairama-Lewington, Byron Karaitiana and former Poverty Bay rep Paul Tiko.
Wairarapa-Bush head coach Mark Rutene labelled the performance as "pretty satisfying" saying that while a few mistakes had been made overall it was about as good what could be expected from a side having their first outing for some weeks.
"It was the sort of hit out we needed to brush off a few cobwebs, there were a lot of positives to come out of it," he said.
Richard Puddy, Finnbarr Kerr-Newell, Cameron Hayton and Nick Olson scored tries for Wairarapa-Bush with Bryon Karaitiana kicking two conversions and a penalty and Cameron Hayton a conversion.