Bay of Plenty revives

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 22

Bay of Plenty revives

PA Rotorua Bay of Plenty bounced back from a series of recent losses to down Hawke's Bay 18-12 in its final national first division rugby championship match of the season at Rotorua on Saturday. The win has come too late to save Bay of Plenty from playing in the promotionrelegation game at Tauranga next Saturday, but it served notice it will be hard to beat: The match was played in driving rain, but the Bay forwards played with purpose and dedication, and the return of Kevin Eveleigh injected new spirit into the pack. Eveleigh enjoyed a good game and was well supported by Neil Young, Steven

McDowell, and Gary Braid. Possession was lost in the line-outs but in the mauling and second-phase play the Bay held its own. Hawke’s Bay was always in the game and its forwards, especially Richard Hunt and Gary Gregory, contested every centimetre of possession. The pick of the backs was the second five-eighths, Mark Taylor. Scores: Bay of Plenty 18 (John Cameron, Kevin Eveleigh, Frank Shelford. Graeme Elvin, tries; Ron Preston, conversion), Hawke's Bay 12 (Gary Gregory, try; Laurie Holmes, conversion; Robbie Hunter, penalty and dropped goal). Half-time: Hawke’s Bay 9, Bay of Plenty 6.