Rams sneak through to claim bragging rights

Game of the day in the Wairarapa-Bush JAB rugby competitions last weekend had to be the much-awaited under-13s clash between top seeds Pioneer and Rams Black.

Both teams had tasted success in previous matches between them this season and, with finals coming up on August 11, this was the chance to earn bragging rights going into the decider.

As expected the game was a cracker. Pioneer set the early pace with a try in the opening minute but from there on the first half was evenly contested with play ebbing and flowing from end to end and the lead changing hands on more than occasion.

At halftime, it was Pioneer ahead 22-17 and the second spell continued along the same lines as the first with neither team able to gain ascendancy in any department. In the end, it was only a conversion which separated the two sides, Rams winning 29-27 in a game which produced 10 splendid tries.

The Rams under-13s White team travelled to Eketahuna and they, too, had a battle royal, with Eketahuna-Marist winning 29-19.

In the under-11 grades, Rams found the talented Pioneer unit more than they could handle while it was quarter-finals team in the under-9 and under-10 grades. The Rams under-9s lost to unbeaten Martinborough while their two teams in the under 10-division made it to the semis, the top-seeded Black side having the bye and the White side running out comfortable winners over Marist.

The under-8 and under-6 grades were punctuated by a series of close games for the Rams, five of them ending in draws. It was Rams Black under-6s player Eva Wootton who was later named player of the day. She was living proof girls can do anything, scorching in for five tries in her team's victory over Gladstone.

Carterton JAB teams were in grand form last weekend with the under-13s continuing their winning streak with a victory over Tuhirangi-Martinborough. It was Carterton's fourth successive win in that grade, a remarkable feat considering they lost all their matches last season. The Carterton under-11s scored their third win in a row when they beat Greytown while the under-10s lost narrowly to Gladstone and the under-9s won comfortably, also against Gladstone.

In the under-8 grade, Carterton won both their games against Eketahuna and Marist and the two under-6 teams had draws.

There was action aplenty in the under-6 match between Gladstone and Marist with Gladstone winning 55-45.