Another win to Wairarapa-Bush

Press, 19 August 1985, Page 21

Another win to Wairarapa-Bush

PA Masterton Wairarapa-Bush virtually guaranteed itself a berth in the national first division for another season when it beat Southland, 21-4, at Memorial Park on Saturday. It was Wairarapa-Bush’s third championship win in five matches and keeps it at the top of the points table. The home side owed its win to a fine display by its forwards. They completely dominated line-outs through the good work of Brent Anderson and Brett Harvey and were in a class of their own in the mauls where Chris Kapene and Vince Burgess shone. Southland trailed, 0-9, at half-time and while it spent a good part of the second half on attack its backs threw away many scoring chances with poor passing and handling. Wairarapa-Bush 21 (Peni

Rauleni, Joe Wyatt, Marty Berry, tries; Mark Benton, penalty goal, three conversions). Southland 4 (Jimmy Cormack, try). Otago had its first national rugby championship win of the season with a 16-14 victory over Waikato in a mistake-ridden match at Hamilton’s Rugby Park on Saturday. A late run of goal-kicking form by the Otago full-back, Greg Cooper, and a slightly more unified forward display did the trick for the visitors. Otago 16 (Dave Callom, try; Lindsay Smith, dropped goal, Greg Cooper, three penalty goals). Waikato 14 (Andrew Strawbridge, Hekewaru Muru, tries; Paul Hodder, two penalty goals). North Auckland ran riot against Manawatu in Saturday’s national championship rugby match at Whangarei,

scoring 28 points in a period of 26 minutes to win, 34-16. Its half-back, Chris Hull, and former All Black wing, Fred Woodman, were the North Auckland stars. Hull, who has been in sparkling form all season, clearly • outshone Manawatu’s captain and former All Black, Mark Donaldson, while Woodman, after scoring a try from the wing, switched to centre and made several slashing runs. North Auckland led, 9-6, at half-time. North Auckland 34 (Fred ’ Woodman, Kawhena Woodman, ’ Chris Hull, Neil Ruddell, Tai Ngakuru, tries; Steve Bean and ' lan Dunn, dropped goals, Bean , four conversions). Manawatu 16 (Darren Henare, Murray Henderson, ■ lan Wood, tries; Mark Finlay, two conversions). > Marlborough kept its , unbeaten record in the

I national second division rugby championship intact , on Saturday with an 18-13 , win over Hawke’s Bay at i Blenheim. The home side had to 1 battle hard for the win as the lead changed hands three times. Poor goal-kicking almost cost Marlborough the match, with only one goal kicked from seven attempts. But Marlborough scored I four tries to two. Hawke’s Bay led, 9-8, at half-time. Marlborough 18 (Kevin 1 Columbus, Paul Phillips, Greg ■ Brimble, Jim Love, tries; Nigel ! Schultz, a conversion). ’ Hawke’s Bay 13 (Paul Cooke, Peter Jones, tries; Dan Kirby, conversion, penalty goal). ’ King Country broke a 14year losing streak when it beat Wanganui, 22-9, in a ! national championship > second division match at

i Taumarunui on Saturday, t King Country 22 (D. Flavell, j J. Grice, G. Jeffries, tries; H. I Coffin, two conversions, two penalty goals). 5 Wanganui 9 (D. Ngatuere, , two penalty goals, K. Watling, 'i ’ dropped goal). Nelson Bays recorded its t second win in the national - third division rugby cham1 pionship when it beat North Otago, 24-10, at Oamaru on 1 Saturday. (■ Nelson looked to be in for an easy win early in the second half when it led, 18- , 0, but North Otago battled 1 back in a 15-minute period to cut the margin to eight ■, points. I ’> Nelson Bays 24 (R. Biggs, W. Dempster, G. Griffiths, S. Phipps, tries; S. Dayman, con- I t version, two penalty goals). I 1 North Otago 10 (B. Johnston, j f) try, B. McGregor, two penalty | t goals). I