Players step up to the plate to earn victory

Attitude was the key to Wairarapa-Bush's 27-19 win over South Canterbury in their Heartland championship rugby match in Timaru on Saturday.
Coach Kelvin Tantrum said his players were well aware of the need to "step up to the plate" after their disappointing defeat by West Coast seven days earlier and had responded to the challenge the best way possible to score their first victory of the 2008 season.
"Everybody was on the same wave length and it showed," he said. "There was huge improvement in so many areas but attitude was the main one. We went out there thinking anything other than a win wouldn't be good enough and played like it."
Tantrum said the new-found hunger in the Wairarapa-Bush effort was illustrated by the urgency and composure on defence, something which had been missing in the West Coast game.
He said South Canterbury had tested their defensive capabilities on numerous occasions and invariably Wairarapa-Bush had held firm. "There were a lot of big tackles made, especially close to the line."
Tantrum was pleased too with the manner in which the Wairarapa-Bush forwards contested for ball in the lineouts and in the loose and in the solidity of their scrum.
And also with the option taking of the backs who generally ensured that what possession came their way was put to good use.
"It was a good all-round performance, just what we needed," he said.
"We now have something to build on which we didn't have before."
Outstanding for Wairarapa-Bush up front was No.8 Mike Spence who was always a willing ball carrier in close quarter attacking play and also one of his side's stoutest defenders, particularly around the fringes of the rucks and mauls.
Fellow loosie Jared Hawkins also had a big game, battling hard to turn over ball in tackle situations and matching Spence with his high tackle rate.
Lock Tomasi Kedrabuka was, as usual, the main supplier of lineout ball and a powerful runner in broken play and there was some stirring work in the tight from front rowers Joe Harwood and Kurt Simmonds, the latter making a big impression what was his first start at Heartland level.
The eleventh hour loss of experienced second-five Nathan Couch when an old leg injury flared up again at training meant Mike Shaw came off the reserve bench to fill that position and he did an excellent job, linking astutely on attack and shirking nothing on the tackle.
Halfback Mike Hollis overcame a somewhat shaky start to provide a swift and accurate service to first-five Patrick Rimene whose tactical nous was a major asset to his side.
Charlie Walker-Blair and Junior Togia were always looking for work on the wings and proved hard to stop with ball in hand while fullback Peato Lafaele was quick to take advantage of any counter attacking opportunity and was sound in his positional play.
Loose forwards Tui Tauelangi and Eric Smith as well as centre Tanu Suavine starred in a South Canterbury team which produced an error-riddled performance.
Wairarapa-Bush came out of the game with the maximum five competition points, four for the win and an extra bonus point for four tries. Charlie Walker-Blair scored two of them with others to Jordan Watene and Junior Togia.
Patrick Rimene kicked one penalty and two conversions. Fonua Malakai (2) and Tui Tauelangi scored tries for South Canterbury and Luke Reihana kicked two conversions.
Wairarapa-Bush will be at home to Buller in another Heartland championship match next weekend. Buller beat South Canterbury 18-17 in a first round clash and came from 16-0 down to draw 16-16 with Horowhenua-Kapiti on Saturday.
Wairarapa College make final
The Wairarapa College first XV won through to the final of the Hurricanes Co-Ed secondary schools rugby tourney after a 24-21 win over Hawera High School in a match played in Palmerston North in very testing conditions but were beaten 40-12 by Mana College in the decider. Wairarapa College made a grand start against Hawera and scored three tries to be up 17-0 after only 15 minutes but Hawera fought back well and trailed by 7-17 at halftime. The second spell saw Wairarapa College increase their advantage to 24-7 before Hawera again mounted a stirring recovery, closing to 21-24 with still 10 minutes of play remaining.
However, Wairarapa College conceded no further points to earn the right to play Mana College at the Rugby Institute at Massey University in the final.
Corey Mc Fadzean, Teihana Brown, Anton Tunnell and Shannon Rimene-Albrett were the try scorers for Wairarapa College and Cody Whittaker kicked two conversions.
The final with Mana College was always going to be a tough ask as Mana finished runners-up in the Wellington premier one secondary schools competition and so it proved with Wairarapa College taking time to settle and Mana racing out to a 28-0 halftime lead.
Wairarapa College maintained possession and tackled with more accuracy in the second spell and shared the honours on the scoreboard then, Mana winning 40-12.
It was a courageous effort from Wairarapa College who were without two of their key players through injury, inspirational skipper Hui van Vliet and fellow loosie Rihi Brown.
Cory McFadzean and Thomas Kainuku scored tries for Wairarapa College and Cody Whittaker kicked one conversion.
Coach Paul Pottinger praised his Wairarapa College side for the tenacity showed against a Mana team who were almost on average two years older than them and very physical in their approach. It completed a highly successful season for the Wairarapa College side, who were also runners-up in their Manawatu secondary schools competition.
There they beat Wanganui College 27-3 in the semis before losing to Feilding High 22-0 in the final.