Wgtn always ahead

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 17

Wgtn always ahead

PA Wellington Two tries within three minutes in the first half gave Wellington an edge over Hawke’s Bay which it never lost in their Lion rugby championship match at Athletic Park, Wellington, on Saturday. The tries, by the winger, Mike Clamp, and the centre, Stu Wilson, gave Wellington a handy 17-0 lead at halftime. It held off a determined fight-back by a lively Bay to win 23-12. The Bay forwards gave Wellington a tough time, the Bay winning good line-out ball through lan Castles and the flanker, John Luoni, and with the other flanker, . Junior Paraha, outstanding in the loose. Although they exerted tre- 1 mendous pressure on the :

Wellington defence, especially in the second half, the Bay backs could not finish off the moves. With the wind at its hack in the second half, Bay came back strongly to 17-12. But then the All Black winger, Ken Taylor, scored his team’s only try’, Wellington went on to attack, and from a fm scrum the flanker, Paul Quinn, made a break and fed the half-back, John Heale, who twisted in a tackle to score. Wellington had opened in dazzling fashion with a fine try to Bernie Fraser after only tw’o minutes. Hawke’s Bay won scrum ball on its own 22 and Wilson bustled the first-five eighth, Mark Fisam.- The Wellington flanker, Morrie Standish, snapped up the ball and put

Fraser in for the try. Wellington had to wait another 27 minutes before Clamp finished off an orthodox back movement and three minutes later Wellington again had the overlap, this time Clamp feeding inside to Wilson, who scored. Wellington was well served up front by the captain and hooker, Kevin Horan, playing his 100th game for Wellington province, and by Standish and the No. 8, John Wootton.

For Wellington, tries by Wilson, Fraser, Clamp, and Heale. Allan and Hewson kicked a penalty and two conversions.

For Hawke’s Bay, Ken Taylor scored a try which was converted by Fisam, who also kicked a dropped goal and a penalty.