Waikato downs Counties

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 19

Waikato downs Counties

PA Auckland Counties lost its outright lead in the national division one rugby championship when it was beaten. 16-24. by a fired-up Waikato at Pukekohe Stadium on Saturday. But the Counties coach. Pat Walsh, could still afford a smile soon after the match when he heard that Canterbury had just lifted the Ranfurl’v Shield off Wellington.

That means that Counties now has its chance of winning the national championship and Ranfurly Shield double as Wellington did last season. Counties will meet Canterbury at Lancaster Park next Saturday. Commenting on Saturday's match. Mr Walsh said: "We had our scoring chances, particularly in the first half, but we simply didn't take them. "We made far too many errors, although Waikato

bustled us into them. We also lacked a bit of punch today." In spite of his side's win. the Waikato coach. George Simpkin, did not have as much to smile about as Mr Walsh — his team is out of the championship race and will miss out on its shield challenge, which was to have been against Wellington next Saturday.

On Saturday, while Counties frittered away golden scoring opportunities. Waikato seized almost all of its chances. Counties, playing with the steady breeze behind it. had Waikato under extreme pressure several times during the first half, but could not press home this advantage and when it turned to play into

the wind 7-9 down it was clearly in trouble. Scorers: Waikato 24 (Geoff Hines. Bruce Smith tries. John Boe 2 dropped goals. Andy Baker dropped goal. 2 conversions, penalty); Counties 16 (Mark Moore). Graeme Taylor tries, Joe Harvey dropped goal, conversion, penalty).