Wanganui steamroll Bay

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Wanganui steamroll Bay

Monday, September 10, 2012 • John Hill

RUGBY - DEFENDING Meads Cup champions Wanganui had too much pace, power and intensity for Poverty Bay in their Heartland Championship match at Wanganui on Saturday.

“They steamrolled us in the first 40 minutes and kept up the intensity until the final whistle,” Bay coach Grainger Heikell said.

“We were camped on their line in the last few minutes but there was no way there were going to let us in.”

Wanganui, who have not been at their best despite wins in the first two rounds, had first use of a strong wind and used it to build a 35-3 lead at the end of the first 40 minutes.

That effectively was the game but to their credit the Bay restricted the home side to a solitary try in the second half.

“We did have some good phases in the first half but it was at the wrong end of the field,” Heikell said.

“I didn’t think the wind was worth 35 points — 15, maybe a bit more, if it had been that we were still in the game, but we fell off some tackles and let in some soft tries which didn’t help.

“I told the boys we needed to get some territory in the second half but Wanganui were just too good for us on this occasion.

“Playing catch-up football in the second half, the ball at times looked liked a bar of soap and we couldn’t hang on to it. But I guess the biggest lesson is if you want to play rugby you have to tackle — be prepared to knock the opposition over.

“They have some big strong runners but if you tackle correctly you can put them on the ground.”

Heikell said the atrocious conditions meant it was not a day for open running rugby but added that Murray Hewson (lock) and Sione Ngatu (flanker) worked hard.

Heikell said Wanganui came out firing from the kick-off.

Inspired by their big forwards, the home side scored four tries to pocket a bonus point within 25 minutes.

“You can’t afford to let a side as good as Wanganui get off to a start like that,” Heikell said. “We need to pick ourselves up and be ready to take on West Coast here on Saturday.

“It’s Sione’s 100th game for the Bay and if anyone deserves to get a result on a day like that it’s Sione.

“But looking at the results there are no easybeats this year and West Coast will come here on the back of a narrow loss (12-8) to Wairarapa Bush.”

Wairarapa Bush thumped the Bay 48-21 here last week while West Coast gave Ngati Porou East Coast a fright on the opening day of the championship before going down 23-16.

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