Rugby: Score flattering as NZA avenge Melbourne loss

By Chris Rattue

Honour was restored although maybe not quite as convincingly as the scoreboard suggested.

The New Zealand A side beat the Australian Barbarians 40-17 yesterday at the Northland Rugby Stadium, to gain some revenge for their defeat in Melbourne earlier this month.

The Barbarians had also been beaten by the national Academy side at Pukekohe last week, meaning the second tier of players in this country could once again hold their heads reasonably high.

The Barbarians actually had long spells in possession at the stadium formerly known by various names, including Okara Park.

But as recent test match rugby has shown, it is not how long you have the ball but what you do with it that counts. And the New Zealand A side found just enough spark enough times to draw away to a large win.

It was often a fairly shabby match, and typical of a trial which in effect it was. Both sides were stacked with players pressing for test places and a chance to play at this year's World Cup.

Among the New Zealanders, fullback Bruce Reihana did the most to press his claims. Reihana seems to be something of a certainty for World Cup selection in many people's eyes because of his versatility, and the fact the selectors signalled their intentions with him by playing the Waikato outside back at first five-eighths in the academy side.

Reihana wove around defenders in typical fashion yesterday, was on hand to score a late try after a Caleb Ralph chip ahead, and put on some strong defence including two great front-on tackles. Wing Glen Osborne also had some classy moments, the best coming when he defeated fullback Duncan McRae with a great total-body dummy to score a long-range try in the second half.

But fullback and wing is hardly the selectors' headache area while Wilson, Cullen, Umaga and Lomu are fighting fit.

Carlos Spencer continued to travel down the road which marks him as one of the great enigmas of New Zealand rugby. He provided and scored the first try with a double-around move, and there were glimpses of his rare abilities.

But he also failed to make the 10 metre line with two kickoffs, his goalkicking was wobbly, and his one attempt at the trademark knee chip-ahead turned over possession inside his own half.

It wasn't an awful Spencer display, but then again it was hardly one which was going to propel him back into major test calculations.

The Barbarians opened the scoring with McRae's try from a slick back move, but struggled to show that sort of scoring class again in the match. The one moment of real fortune went in the New Zealand A side's favour.

Leading 23-17, they scored when Spencer appeared to have rolled the ball forward in a tackle.

But from there, the home side cruised away, with replacement Norm Berryman pumping up to knock down a McRae chip kick to score, and Reihana finishing the scoring off with his late try.

New Zealand A 40 (Carlos Spencer, Caleb Ralph, Glen Osborne, Con Barrell, Norm Berryman, Bruce Reihana tries, Spencer 2 pen, 2 con), Australian Barbarians 17 (Duncan McRae, Nathan Spooner 4 pen).