Kaierau skipper Denning Tyrell had not tried a place kick at goal ? practice or in anger ? for more than two years before he drilled three superb kicks in Saturday's 30-18 Wanganui rugby championship win over Ruapehu.
Tyrell was only fourth choice kicker for his side this season, but there
came a time when he had to try it on Saturday. First choice Tupae Pati (178 points) cried off this week with a broken hand suffered against Ratana, and second choice Ace Malo (15 conversions this year), twinged a hamstring in his first run and struggled to stay on the field, let alone kick.
First-five Frank Lene suffered a horrible attack of the "hooks" in missing three out of four, and it was on the call of halftime ? with Ruapehu back in the game at 12-8, that Tyrell decided he had to take over. Remember ? no kick at goal for 24 months, at least.
Penalty one: 24 metres out, 10 metres in ? no trouble. Kaierau 15-8.
43min: Dion Hyland dashed into the corner under a tackle. Tyrell, across the wind, lands a superb conversion. Kaierau 22-8.
29min: Ruapehu had been attacking hard for many minutes when Kaierau broke out. A penalty 40 metres out, again across the wind, and Tyrell lands it. Kaierau 25-8, and the side had broken clear.
"My last kick was a couple of years, playing for Samoa. The other guys have been doing it, but because of injuries to them I had to have a go," Tyrell said.
"I suppose I have kicked in many matches, but since I did my knee last year I've stayed away from kicking. But you can't ignore the kicking when your team's under pressure." The other key performer for Kaierau was young No 7 Darren Munro.
Late Friday night he rang coach Phillip Morris and gave him the news he didn't want to hear:
"I've got the flu. I don't think I'll make it tomorrow." Morris:
"But he fronted up and that shows the guts of the man. And if he doesn't make the rep team this year, he certainly has a future."
Munro was named player of the final, burrowing into the breakdown for turnover ball and making mnay tackles.
