Hatrick of late tries saves Wairarapa

LIVELY: Wairarapa-Bush flanker James Goodger goes high for lineout ball. PHOTOS/CHRIS KILFORD

Three tries in the last quarter at least gave the final scoreline some respectability for the Wairarapa-Bush XV in their rugby fixture with Wellington Samoans at Memorial Park on Saturday.

Going into the last 20 minutes the home team were trailing 40-8 and seemingly heading for a thumping of significant proportions. However, their late rally saw the margin between the two sides reduced to 40-29 before Wellington Samoans scored their seventh try of the match in the dying stages to win by 45-29.

Billed as a final trial before head coach Josh Syms and assistant Wayne Roache named their Heartland squad, the hope was that several of the newer faces appearing in the extended Wairarapa-Bush line-up would produce performances which gave them little option but to put ticks beside their names.

As it happened, however, it was the Wellington Samoans who produced most of the razzle and dazzle, often carving off huge metreage with the slickness of their passing, their strong, purposeful running and their close support of the ball carrier. For them attack was the name of the game and the number of times they put boot to ball, even when deep in their own 22m, could probably have been counted on one hand.

Helping the Wellington Samoans' cause was the tentativeness of the Wairarapa-Bush defence with missed tackles too often, allowing them to build up steam and create overlaps for their speedy outside backs.

Wairarapa-Bush were at their best when their forwards were at the centre of action. Invariably they made good ground through the rolling maul and their short passing rushes were generally effective as well. Two of the more experienced campaigners in prop Kurt Simmonds and lock Johnie McFadzean demonstrated the benefits of good old-fashioned grit and determination in everything they did, hooker Hamish Forrester and flanker James Goodger were lively enough in broken play and you couldn't question the commitment of No 8 BJ Campbell, who probably got his hands on the ball more than any of his teammates.

The Wairarapa-Bush backs were always willing to have a crack but apart from fullback Nick Olson, who made a couple of useful breaks, and wing Nick Robertson, who came off the bench in the second half, scored a try and impressed with his pace, there wasn't a lot of penetration.

The inside combination of Cody Whittaker and Tipena Haira was solid, with Haira carving off some excellent metreage with his line kicks and midfielder Andy Humberstone struck the ball well in the goal kicking department.

Lachie McFadzean, Kurt Simmonds, Nick Robertson and Paul Tikomainvalu scored the Wairarapa-Bush tries and Andy Humberstone kicked one penalty and three conversions.