Maori avoid worst of Wasps' sting in Rotorua clash

By CHRIS RATTUE

New Zealand Maori overcame a powerful Wasps combination 33-26 in Rotorua last night in a healthy build-up to their final match of the season against Argentina.

The Maori side were pushed to the limit by the Wasps, a side featuring national squad forwards Scott Robertson and Gordon Slater, plus a sprinkling of other top players.

The reserves were loaded members of the Bay of Plenty team.

The Wasps were put together by the national selectors and played under the watch of Peter Thorburn at the International Stadium.

They had only one training session before the match under coaches Gordon Tietjens and Kevin Greene.

After the Maori led by 16 points at halftime, the Wasps came back strongly with two tries early in the second half, the best finished by Bay of Plenty's Dale Rasmussen after a sweeping 80m move following fine covering work by Robertson.

The Maori team, whose performance was not helped by the loss of captain Deon Muir early in the second half, held on to their winning margin for the final 15 minutes.

Muir tweaked a hamstring, but Maori coach Matt Te Pou hopes he will be fit for the match against Argentina in Rotorua on Tuesday.

Muir was again a dominant figure for the Maori side, scoring two tries and being heavily involved before injury forced him off, while lock Paul Tito controlled the lineouts.

"We knew it would be a very tough game. The Wasps had a strong line-up," Te Pou said.

The match undoubtedly held significance in terms of who the national selectors see as pushing for All Black places, and there were a couple of scuffles, including one between midfield backs Rua Tipoki and Scott McLeod, with referee Kevin Rowe sending them to the sinbin in the 55th minute.

The Maori team overcame some early scrum problems to take control of the first half, and had a good lead of 28-12 at the break.

The Wasps scored after just six minutes when first five-eighths James Arlidge doubled around wing Aisea Tuilevu. But the Maori gradually drew away. In a superbly worked lineout move, Muir ran down the touchline from a Paul Tito take to score in the 34th minute. And three minutes later, Bruce Reihana was given a stroll to the tryline from a backline move, with centre Caleb Ralph taking out the final defenders and setting Reihana free.

The Wasps, who went into the match with such limited preparation, were hit by the 15th-minute departure of dazed flanker Justin Collins, another blow to the Auckland and Blues flanker in what has been an injury-racked season so far.

New Zealand Maori 33 (D. Muir 2, D. Gibson, B. Reihana, R. Robinson tries; C. Spencer 4 con) Wasps 26 (J. Arlidge, J. Vidiri, D. Lee, D. Rasmussen tries; Arlidge 3 con). Halftime 28-12.