Wairarapa-Bush turned in an encouraging performance against Wanganui in their Steel Cup representative rugby match at Wanganui yesterday despite going under by 39-20.
Up 13-12 at halftime, Wairarapa-Bush made six changes going into the second half to give all squad members game time and they struggled to maintain themomentum against a home side which appeared to have the greater depth on the reserve bench.
The battle for forward supremacy was a keen one with both packs, especially in the opening half, lacking nothing on the score of endeavour. There was impressive physicality in the tighter exchanges with neither side gaining advantage in the set pieces of lineout and scrum and the looser phases of the forward game were evenly contested as well.
Skipper Johan Van Vliet was the standout in the Wairarapa-Bush pack. He was a tower of strength on attack and defence and marked a fine all-round performance with some aggressive tackling around the fringes of the rucks and mauls.
As was to be expected from an early season game, both backlines did struggle at times with their option-taking and communication but Wanganui were clearly the more clinical in their finishing work. Halfback Zeb Aporo was the pick of the Wairarapa-Bush rearguard and Glen Walters was steady at first-five before retiring injured.
