Meads Cup within reach

OVER THE LINE: Second-five Andy Humberstone crashes over for a try against Wanganui on Saturday. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

ANY thought that the talk from Wairarapa-Bush head coach Josh Syms to his side during the halftime break in their crucial Heartland championship rugby match with Wanganui at Memorial Park, Masterton, on Saturday was all fire and brimstone could not be further from the truth.

Like most others watching, Syms was devastated to watch his side concede 47 points without reply in those opening 40 minutes but he resisted the temptation to read the riot act for two main reasons.

First, because he knew the players would be feeling the pain of having conceded such a big lead in a game in which their Meads Cup aspirations were on the line and, secondly, because he wondered whether their "flatness" was because he and the rest of the management team "stuffing up" their preparation.

"We were so far off the pace it was embarrassing, and not just for the players but for us too," Syms said. "It wasn't a good time to apportion blame though, there were still 40 minutes to go and that's what we focused on. And we didn't exactly have a hard act to follow, did we?"

The thrust of the halftime message was for the Wairarapa-Bush players to return to the field and earn the respect of their opposition and their loyal band of supporters. "It was all about stop looking at the floor, get your heads up and go out there and show what you are made of," Syms said. "Sure, Wanganui had played very well but we were terrible. It couldn't possibly get any worse."

To say Wairarapa-Bush responded well to the challenge would be a major understatement. Within the first 25 minutes of the second spell they had scored five unanswered tries to earn the bonus point which would ultimately see them through to the Meads Cup semis against South Canterbury in Timaru this weekend and there was even the prospect of the most unlikely of victories being registered. That didn't eventuate but Wanganui's winning margin of 57-35 was light years better than what had seemed likely at halftime.

For coach Syms, the best thing about the second-half comeback was that it demonstrated again the character and resolve in his squad, factors which he believes will also serve them well against South Canterbury, the top qualifiers for the Meads Cup semis. "As a group we know there are teams in this competition who are more flashy than we are but we also know that if we play to our strengths and do the basics well we are capable of beating any of them," he said. "I guess it's about playing for 80 minutes like we did the last 40 on Saturday, even they (South Canterbury) will find us a handful if we do that."

Whether Wairarapa-Bush will have big No8 So'otala Fa'oso'o for the Timaru game remains to be seen. A knock to the knee caused him to leave the field in the second half against Wanganui and Syms put his chances of playing as "no more than 50-50". There is better news though on the condition of flanker Brendan Campbell and wing Nick Olson, neither of whom were selected against Wanganui because of injury hassles. Syms is confident they will take the field in Timaru.