Rugby: Classy Waikato win first 'test'

By WYNNE GRAY

WAIKATO 24 NORTH HARBOUR 11

A couple of recent ragged results provoked Waikato coach Kiwi Searancke.

Not into violence, but into demanding more from his Ranfurly Shield defenders.

He told his squad they had to prepare for each remaining game as if it was a test match. The programme demanded that sort of intense attitude.

Waikato opened their own "international" campaign with a persuasive win against North Harbour on Saturday, in a style which should fill Rugby Park for an epic next challenge from Canterbury in a fortnight.

But first there is another "international" for Waikato, away against Counties Manukau on Sunday, a game in which Searancke expects more of the same test-style rugby from his troops.

If the burly coach has been concerned at all about his team, it has been about their troubles in stacking a couple of strong games together.

He wants them to be up every week, not just at home, where Waikato have stretched their shield defences out to 21 after their weekend victory.

So the test match-call went out from Searancke. So, too, went reminders about using their tight five to suffocate Harbour, work-rate, defence and for every player to act as a loose forward at breakdowns.

In puggy, slow conditions in Hamilton, Waikato replied immaculately to the instructions.

So well that Harbour coach Wayne Shelford soon knew this was going to be another unsuccessful challenge from his province.

"I thought the game was decided by halftime just about," he conceded, even though Harbour had been just a point adrift at that stage.

Straight after the break, Shelford's worries were confirmed when Waikato captain Deon Muir charged down Marc Ellis' casual clearing kick to score.

With the wind at their backs, a swag of possession, neat tactical kicking from Rhys Duggan and Glen Jackson and a steam-train tight five, Waikato did not budge once in a monumental second spell.

Only twice, in the opening half, were Harbour able to break. Walter Little snaked through once, but had his vital, try-scoring transfer slapped down by Damian Karauna in a move referee Colin Hawke must have considered worthy of a penalty try.

Midfield partner Rua Tipoki skipped downfield just shy of the interval to find Karl Te Nana, Ron Cribb and hard-working new lock Matt Lord for the try. Round those blemishes and a charge-down from which Cribb should have scored, Waikato were watertight defenders.

On attack, they had the power in the forwards to give them a lineout drive for Royce Willis to score, and a scrum which launched Duggan over the line on the blind, while the backs also had a slickness about some of their moves.

Twin skip passes after quick lineout ball put Keith Lowen into a gap and his perfect pass had Bruce Reihana in at the corner.

Unlike Wellington's clutter on Friday night, Waikato's precision allowed them to use their forwards as decoys rather than interference in a quality move.

Searancke applauded the Waikato response. They had won the first "international," they had earned a celebration, but headaches or not, they were all expected yesterday at work. There were too many "tests" left for a long party.