Pumas beaten in scrappy match

Press, 26 July 1989, Page 60

Pumas beaten in scrappy match

PA \ Hamilton A rusty Waikato rugby side ground its way to a 3042 win over the touring Argentinians at Hamilton’s Rugby Park yesterday.

Waikato, playing its first match in more than six weeks, scored four tries to two to hand the Pumas their fourth loss in their eighth tour match. When the flanker, Tom Coventry, dived on a loose ball in the Argentinian ingoal for Waikato’s third try 29min into the match, it appeared the home side was in for an easy win. However, for most of the second half it embroiled itself in an at times overly-physical forward battle. The Waikato coach, Glenn Ross — while happy with the result — said it was a “messy” game, and that he and his players had a “lot of homework to do” before resuming their national first division championship programme next month. He was particularly disappointed that his players contributed to the scrappy nature of the game, and with their inability “to tidy it up” when given the opportunity. “They made one mistake after the other, and pretty much lost track of the objectives they had been set,” he said. "But maybe the fact

that we’ve had such a long break since our last game, and that there have been a number of distractions with intensive club football, contributed to that. “Still, I wasn’t expecting quite so many mistakes.” Some mistakes were made in the face of the high-pressure Argentinian defence, but many others were unforced. However there were glimpses of Waikato’s true ability, particularly on attack. The halfback, Kevin

Putt, skillfully took two try-scoring opportunities presented him, and was in the hunt for the one bagged by Coventry. Putt scored both from the base of the scrum, cleverly evading his markers. He also drew from his opposite, Daniel Baetti, a professional foul early in the second half that brought Waikato a further three points from a penalty. Having made a break, again from the scrum, he kicked ahead but was impeded in his pursuit by jersey-pulling from Baetti. The five-eighths, Brett Craies, landed the penalty from 25m. He got another smin before the final whistle, and converted all four Waikato tries including his own 23min into the first half. The Pumas’ two tries were scored by the wing, Diego Cuesta Silva, playing his eighth consecutive match, and the hardworking flanker, Miguel Bertranou. Both were converted by Baetti. The coach, Rodolfo O’Reilly, was happy with his team’s performance against what he considered the second best provincial side it had met.

However, he would have preferred the match, which took quite a large injury toll on his players, not to have come four days befoie the second test. Mr O’Reilly was forced to make two changes yesterday, sending Gustavo Milano on as a replacement for Joaquin Uriarte and Alejandro Scolni on for the centre and captain, Marcelo Loffreda. Uriarte hurt an ankle, while Loffreda pulled a thigh muscle. Milano, the vice-captain, twisted his knee within minutes of taking the field. Bertranou, who tried his heart out, walked off the field groggily, while a fellow flanker, Marcos Baeck, was feeling a shoulder hurt in an earlier outing as he made his way to the dressing room. The Pumas head to Wellington today to prepare for the second test They are expected to name their team for that match tomorrow. Scorers: Waikato 30 (Kevin Putt 2, Brett Craies, Tom Coventry, tries; Craies, 2 penalty goals, 4 conversions) bt Argentina 12 (Diego Cuesta Silva, Miguel Bertranou, tries; Daniel Baetti, 2 conversions). Half-time: 18-6.