Bay too good for Taranaki

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 30

Bay too good for Taranaki

PA Tauranga Bay of Plenty retained its first division status by beating Taranaki, 23-4, in the promotion-relegation match at Tauranga on Saturday. The Bay led 10-0 at halftime and two tries, one conversion and a dropped goal in the second spell erased any chance Taranaki might have had of lifting itself out of the second division. The home team dominated the Taranaki forward pack. While Hika Reid, Kevin' Eveleigh. Gary Braid and the captain, Graeme Elvih, had outstanding games, the star

of the Bay team was the left wing. Mark Basham. Reid had to leave the field. when he injured an arm after 73 minutes. Basham's skill and speed . set up two tries for the fullback, John Cameron, one' shortly before half-time and the other just after, which left the score at 14-0. Then another slippery run by Basham paved the way for Frank Shelford to score’midway through the second half and guarantee the Bay’s stayin first division rugby. Though tired and at times unlucky, Taranaki threw the ball around in the last quar-

ter and was rewarded with a try by the wing. Bryce Robins. The game was almost totally controlled by Bay of Plenty and even the All Blacks. Graham Mourie and Dave Loveridge, were generally overshadowed by the home team. Taranaki's best players were Warren Bunn, Colin Cooper and Gavin Wetton. Scorers: Bay of Plenty 23 (John Cameron 2. Frank Shelford tries. Ron Preston a .conversion and two penalties, 'Brent McKillop dropped goal). Taranaki 4 (Bryce Robins try).