Step-up for U18s ends in drubbing

The Wanganui Under-18s faced a big step-up in class when they met Wellington in the curtainraiser to the Pink Batts Heartland Championship game at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.

The final result was a 68-0 hammering, although searching for the positives, coaches Cornel Mason and Daniel Tamehana will point out to the team the experience of playing against a bigger union and what work needs to be done for the HYRC Cup campaign.

Wellington made their intentions clear right from the opening whistle that they were going to play the game hard and fast.

They scored in the first 30 seconds, which left the home side a little shell-shocked, and three minutes later the boys from the Capital were in again.

The home side regrouped and started making the first-up tackles and working around the rucks.

However, Wellington would not let up and began to spread the ball wide and the cracks showed at 38-0 by halftime.

Wanganui did manage to get some possession after the break.

However, Wellington capitalised on any mistakes.

Wanganui's next game is against the Wellington Samoans in Levin.

Meanwhile, the Wanganui Development XV did not get the run-through they wanted as Wellington Maori defaulted their Saturday game in Petone.

Coach Ross William's side will now play Wairarapa-Bush Development at Cooks Gardens on Saturday, in what amounts to being the RDO Cup final.