Upset win for Thames Valley

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 36

Upset win for Thames Valley

PA Paeroa Thames Valley opened its representative rugby programme with a surprised and well-deserved 22-13 win over North Auckland at Thames yesterday. The home side led, 10-7 at half-time and then trailed 13-10 until 6min before fulltime. * In the last 6min the fullback, Colin Barlow, went on a scoring spree with a penalty, a converted try, and a penalty to give his side the win. Barlow’s personal tally for the match was 14 points. Thames Valley matched the North Aucklanders in the forwards throughout the first-half with bustling loose forward play, while the two back-lines were evenly matched. Scorers. — For Thames Valley: Tony Jackson, Ron van Marrewijk, and Barlow

scored tries, and Barlow kicked two conversions and two penalties. For North Auckland: Phil Haise and Denis Matene scored tries, and Tuck Waka kicked a conversion and a penalty. And at Napier, some good mauling and clearing of the ball paved the way for a 9-4 win by Auckland over Hawke’s Bay in a national championship first-division match. The heavily-depleted Auckland side denied Hawke’s Bay just enough possession to scrape home after leading, 6-0, with the wind at its back in the first half. Auckland won by taking its chances at the right time. Scorers. — For Auckland: A. Sutherland a try, B. Riley a penalty goal and a conversion. For Hawke’s Bay: P. Durham a try.