Warm-up win just the trick

It wasn't a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination but Wairarapa-Bush will still savour their 25-24 win over Poverty Bay in the non-championship rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Not only was it their first win of the 2006 season but it went at least some way towards revenging their hefty defeat at the hands of Poverty Bay in the NPC third division final two seasons ago
And, what's more, it put Wairarapa-Bush in winning mode just one week out from their opening game against Buller in the inaugural Heartland championship, a competition in which Poverty Bay is seen as one of the more favoured contenders.
Strangely enough it was experienced first-five Patrick Rimene who took centre stage in Saturday's victory, strangely because for Rimene this was far from one of his better efforts.
Out of sorts with both his tactical kicking and option taking he was left with the winning of the game in his hands-or more correctly boots - after flanker Sam Henderson had crossed for a late try in the corner to leave Wairarapa-Bush trailing by a solitary point, 23-24. Rimene's sideline conversion attempt was therefore always going to be crucial in the end result and it never looked like missing
Wairarapa-Bush deserved their win because in a match which was kept interesting more by the closeness of the scores rather than the standard of play they unquestionably finished the stronger of the two teams.
They dominated possession and territory in the last 10 minutes and it was appropriate that the last scoring act should come from them.
It must have been a huge relief to team management though to see Wairarapa-Bush string together several phases of structured rugby in those closing stanzas for in the previous 70 minutes they had bumbled and fumbled to such an extent that attacking moves hardly went more than one phase before mistakes were made.
Possession was continually turned over in tackled situations, as much because of a lack of support for the ball carrier than anything else, and one would hate to think how often Wairarapa-Bush took the ball into mauls or rucks only for Poverty Bay to somehow steal it off them.
Not helping the Wairarapa-Bush cause either was the laboured passing of their backs and an annoying tendency by both backs and forwards to throw 50-50 passes when the more sensible option would have been to take the tackle and start again.
The big plus for the home team from Saturday's game was the accuracy of their lineout play. Middle rowers Tomasi Kedarabuka and Langi Peters ensured they won a steady stream of quality possession from that important department, aided as they were by the usually pinpoint throwing of hooker Joe Harwood.
At scrum time too Wairarapa-Bush generally provided a stable platform and they had the satisfaction of winning a tighthead, something which seldom happens in any form of rugby these days.
It was pleasing too to see the Wairarapa-Bush forwards utilising their mobility effectively in broken play situations.
Here Kedarabuka and Peters were again the stars, both of them relishing any opportunity to run the ball at their opposition and usually making good metreage while doing so.
Flankers Mike Spence and Sam Henderson were lively with ball in hand and Brodie Duffin had a solid debut at No.8. He was one of the surer Wairarapa-Bush defenders in close quarter play.
A lack of fluency severely hampered the attacking play of the Wairarapa-Bush backs through most of the game, but in that vital last 10 minutes they did show that when the options are sensible and the passes stick they have the natural skills to test the tightest of defensive screens.
The pick of the backs was second-five Nathan Couch who was typically assertive in everything he did, and if wing Junior Togia did make one defensive blemish which led directly to a Poverty Bay try he always looked a threat whenever given room to utilise his pace and elusiveness.
Duncan Rutherford, Brett Rudman and Sam Henderson scored tries for Wairarapa-Bush, and Patrick Rimene kicked two penalties and two conversions.
Impressive winger Shane Leach scored two tries for Poverty Bay and Daniel Cornwall one. Scott Leighton kicked one penalty and three conversions.
Both the Wairarapa-Bush senior B and colts sides also won their matches at memorial park on Saturday, the B's beating Wanganui development squad 27-12 and the colts beating their Horowhenua-Kapiti counterparts 31-12.