Steamers in Wasps clothing buzzing
June 6
Steamers in Wasps clothing buzzing
05.06.2008
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by Craig Tiriana at Waikato Stadium
Bay of Plenty got their 2008 representative programme under way with a 36-20 win against the Harlequins in Hamilton last night.
With their side playing as the Wasps as part of the Waikato-based Harlequins club's 70th anniversary, most of the post-match celebrating was being done by Bay of Plenty Steamers coaching staff Kevin Schuler and his assistant, Steve Milne. Their team had the best of most of the game and ran in six tries to four, the best being their last sparked by outstanding No 8 Colin Bourke. He gathered a kick inside his own 22 and beat half a dozen defenders in a run of more than 50 metres before throwing a huge spiral pass that allowed winger/fullback Lance MacDonald to scamper away to the line. |
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Along with busy centre Cory Aporo, they provided the class in a workmanlike Wasps performance with which Schuler was happy.
"There were pretty simple messages for the guys out there," Schuler said. "We've put [the squad] through a bit over the last six months. It was a chance for them to get that confidence from the hard work they've done and put their hands up. As a group, I think they showed a real collective intensity in that first half, there were plenty of gaps, as always when you make a few changes there's a bit of disruption but they hung in tight and got the result." Schuler believed they were tested mentally and physically and stood up against what resembled a Waikato Development team. The Wasps forwards set a good platform for the backs. The lineout and scrum were sound, although at times the defence got out of synch. All 26 players in the Wasps squad got game time. They led 24-10 at halftime and had a firm grip on the result inside the 10th minute following tries to Aporo and Hadyn Baird. Prop Joe Savage and lock Cullum Rettalick left the field and flanker Matt Henwood was carried off with a severely damaged ankle inside 20 minutes. After Bay of Plenty went through 39 players in last year's Air New Zealand Cup campaign it appeared the theme was spilling into 2008. However, Rettalick reappeared and Savage - who arrived from North Harbour in the off-season - succumbed to the "bot" which also forced his Whakarewarewa teammate Kelly Haimona out of the side. The second spell started like the first with Wasps scoring, replacement Toby Arnold running into a big hole, to start things off. Harlequins came back with two more before Bourke's effort snuffed out the final resistance. The second leg of the Wasps' pre-season matches is next Tuesday in Rotorua where they will play Hawke's Bay's Saracens at 2pm. * Scorers: Wasps 36 (Cory Aporo, Hadyn Baird, Colin Bourke, Ray Brown, Toby Arnold, Lance MacDonald tries; Ruki Tipuna 3 con) Harlequins 20 (Armyn Sanders, Jordan Smilers, Daniel Stevenson, Caleb Smith tries). HT: 24-10. |
