Wgtn has mixed game

Press, 29 August 1978, Page 28

Wgtn has mixed game

PA Wellington Wellington demonstrated both how it could win or lose next week-end’s Ranfurly Shield challenge against Manawatu when it beat North Auckland. 22-10, on Saturday. Its backs, with a gale behind them, ran in four tries in the first 20min. One went through eight pairs of hands, including those of two forwards, while the second by the left wing, Warren Proctor, came after a slicing 55m run by fellow wing Bernie Fraser, who went through five tackles to give the over-lap. But then, in the words of the Wellington coach, Mr

lan Upston, “we went flat — for the rest of the first half and for 20min in the second spell there was nothing.”

North Auckland, down 0-16, at half-time, revived in the second half to close to 10-19 after a classic wing’s try by Lloyd Roberts followed by the centre, Chippie Semenoff, bullocking his way over, then converting his try. However, Wellington’s Brian Cederwell landed his second penalty to take Wellington back out of reach and the efficient pack did the rest.

For Wellington: tries by Warrick Proctor (2), Bernie Fraser and Alan Hewson; two penalties by Brian Cederwall. For North Auckland: tries by Chippie Seme-

noff and Lloyd Roberts; Semenoff, one conversion. And at Oamaru, North Otago survived stern pressure during the last lOmin to beat West Coast, 10-4 in a second-division national championship match at Centennial Park.

It was North Otago’s second win in four games in the championship and was a deserved reward, although it was rather flattered by the six-point margin. The game was played on a treacherous, porridge-like surface but, in spite of the conditions, both teams attempted to play bright, constructive rugby. For North Otago: Neville Fraser try; Paddy White and John Freeman penalty goals. For West Coast Colin Skates try.