Rugby: Attacking mantra costs Kaierau badly

Kaierau fullback Ace Malo had a good game with his kicking boots and ball in hand. Here he tries to get inside Border winger Ben Aiken. Photo/Rae Cliffe

Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau's signature eagerness to open up play both out wide and through the midfield came painfully unstuck in their 36-23 loss to Waverley Harvesting Border on a hot and dusty Country Club pitch on Saturday.

Having had a tough opening three weeks against 2013 semifinalist opponents, Kaierau led the match twice in each half and experimented with Jordan Farrington swapping into first-five, inside of Areta Lama.

However, their quick passing through the chain broke down at crucial times, spilling possession, and while Border's backline were likewise having issues, they picked up quickly that Kaierau were vulnerable behind the line to grubber and chip kicks.

Those kicks, plus capitalising in broken play on Kaierau fumbles, led to four of Border's five tries, including a hat trick to centre Anaru Haerewa.

"We had to cover a couple of positions in the backline, because [Farrington's] a good organiser," said Kaierau coach Keith Savell.

"Under pressure we coughed up the ball a couple of times and they scored off them, and that was the difference.

"The blokes are improving, and that's the main thing, but we'd just like them to be there a bit quicker."

Border coach Ross Williams was pleased second-five Andy Hamilton and halfback Lindsay Horrocks worked out that Kaierau coming up quick and their fullback Ace Malo was lurking in the backline switching accordingly to kick-and-chase tactics.

"That actually stole my halftime speech. The space was behind, that was them analysing the space," Williams said.

"If you can get them thinking, in this heat, at the start of the season, it's exciting."

Williams said the pack had stepped up after the loss to Pirates the week before, with No8 Kieran Hussey and flanker Sikeli (Bobo) Ulukuta being the best on show.

Despite dominating territory in the final quarter, Border had issues with their lineouts and scrappy ball which prevented them scoring more.

Nonetheless, Williams said, "we floated our way through, but that's where good teams want to be".

In the heat, some hard tackles by both teams had tempers fraying at times.

After Malo landed a 45m penalty just over the bar to open the scoring, Border replied when Hamilton's grubber kick found no-one at home Haerewa able to wait for the kind bounce before diving over.

Malo added a second penalty in front, then Kaierau winger Taylor Kirkwood swooped on a loose Border pass and outsprinted his pursuers to the other end.

Another Malo penalty extended Kaierau's advantage to 16-7 before Border again went to the chip and grubber kicks the first leading to a Kaierau infringement for a Ulukuta penalty, then Haerewa grabbed his second try after winger Ben Aiken kept it on the toe.

Horrocks then finished off winger Sailosi Naqiso's dash as Kaierau had again coughed up the ball out wide, right on halftime.

The home team regained the lead straight after the break as reserve back Petia Vui was able to run glide through a gap in the Border forwards, with Malo nailing his fifth straight kick from the sideline.

However, lost ball in the backline cost Kaierau dearly as Border were able to scramble and recover.

Hamilton combined with first-five Terau Mana Wirihana to put Haerewa over for his hat-trick, then Kaierau reserve forward Rob Lavin's promising break came unstuck with Naqiso running the ball all the way back before hooker Cole Baldwin crossed for the match-winner.