Boy, that was close!

Wairarapa-Bush used all off their get out of jail free cards in staving off North Otago 19-18 in their Pool A Heartland championship rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
A "bombed" try almost on fulltime by North Otago winger Aaron James, who spilled the ball while attempting to make the touch down, not only cost the visitors almost certain victory but it was indicative of their fortunes in an action-packed game.
Several times through the course of the 80 minutes North Otago created prime scoring chances only for the last pass to go astray or the ball carrier deciding to go it alone and being swamped by the cover defence
They were clearly slicker in their movement. of the ball through their backs and more elusive and explosive in their running in the three-quarters and to have only two tries to show for their attacking expertise was, for them, both frustrating and disappointing.
Wairarapa-Bush though deserved huge plaudits for their character and resolve in a game in which first prize was a clear lead in pool A of the Heartland championship and the guarantee of a place in the top six playoffs.
Although in front on the scoreboard from the time Patrick Rimene kicked an early penalty their advantage always looked to be one of a thin thread but it spoke volumes for their stickability that that thread came close to breaking point on numerous occasions they somehow or other managed to keep it intact.
For the Wairarapa-Bush forwards this was probably their best all-round effort of the season to date.
Up against a lighter but extremely mobile North Otago pack their fitness and stamina were well tested and, in the main, they came through with flying colours. A couple of communication hassles late in the game were not enough to spoil what was a convincing display in the lineouts where Tomasi Kedabaruka, Mike Robinson, Sylvanus Iro and Langi Peters (who came on as a replacement for Kedarabuka) in the second half all took down their share of good ball, aided and abetted as they were by the accurate throwing of hooker Joe Harwood.
The Wairarapa-Bush scrum had the mortification of conceding a tighthead towards the end of the second half but generally the effort there was also a sound one.
It was certainly stable enough for the two No.8's used, Mike Spence and Brodie Duffin, to make some useful metreage when taking the ball up from the base of it with Spence, especially, a willing workhorse in that respect.
With the game being played at a pretty hectic pace from go to whoa the Wairarapa-Bush loosies had to cover huge amounts of territory both on attack and defence and while openside flanker Sylvanus Iro was clearly the pick of them Sam Henderson, Spence and Duffin were never far from the centre of action as well. For Iro though this was a truly special performance and one which must see him in with a big chance of making the national divisional side at the end of the season.
He racked up a high number of tackles, ran powerfully whenever in possession of the ball and his speed to the breakdowns was matched by his constructiveness when he arrived there.
Henderson scored the only try of the match for Wairarapa-Bush and it was a beauty, covering some 80 metres of all and starting with a Simanu Simanu break and a determined kick and chase.
The Wairarapa-Bush rearguard didn't have anything like the razzle and dazzle of their North Otago counterparts in attacking situations but there were glimpses of the elusiveness and strength of wings Junior Togia and Frances Seumanutata and centre Simanu Simanu.
Fullback Peato Lafaele started shakily and took a couple of poor options on tight defence but he grew considerably in stature as the game progressed with some big clearing kicks being the highlight of his effort.
The two halfbacks used, Hamish McKenzie and James Bruce, were always sound and there was some heady play in the five eighths from old hands Patrick Rimene and Nathan Couch (who was injured late in the first half and replaced by Mike Shaw).It was a suicidal pass by Rimene which led to one of the North Otago tries but , on the other side of the coin,the accuracy of his goal kicking did count for plenty in the final analysis.
North Otago winger Aaron James will always be remembered as the player who dropped the ball when the winning try was about to be scored but, apart from that mishap, he was outstanding, making several stirring runs. Player-coach Mike Mullins was another standout at fullback, Karne Kaufana was all pace and power at second-five and Dean Moeahu was an impressive halfback.
Up front it was hooker Craig Stanaway, lock Seko Qaraniqio and flanker Ross Hay who led the way for a visiting side which must have gone away from Memorial Park rueing the wasting of so many golden scoring opportunities. Sam Henderson scored a try for Wairarapa-Bush and Patrick Rimene kicked one conversion and four penalty goals.
Aaron James and Dean Moeahu scored tries for North Otago and Alex Davies kicked two penalties and one conversion.