Dannevirke Sports Club senior rugby clings on to win

The victorious Dannevirke Sports Club senior rugby team after its first competition match.

It came down to the kickers on Saturday, April 30 at Dannevirke's Rugby Park, when Dannevirke Sports Club played its first Manawatu Second Division competition match against Kiatoa. They had an off-day with only one kick landed by each team despite eight tries being scored.

The teams were so evenly matched that the result came down to a penalty of three points by Trent Conway to a try conversion by Kiatoa giving Dannevirke a 23-22 win.

Both sides were under-strength, due to a variety of reasons, but that did not affect the quality of play and the spectacle of eight tries being scored.

Kiatoa went into half-time 12-10 up and the game seesawed, the lead swapping several times in the second half as tries were scored, Dannevirke taking the lead with five minutes to play thanks to a great effort by flanker Eugene Pitt to snaffle a misdirected line drop-out to score in the corner.

Up 23-17, Kiatoa charged back and Dannevirke conceded a try wide out – also not converted.

The game ended with Dannevirke having its own line drop out with Thomas Kuggeliejn expertly kicking it into touch on the bounce.

"We'll take it," said coach Nigel Castles after the final whistle knowing that four of his top-line players would be back next week when they play at home again.