Wanganui Development XV tryscorer Samu Kubunavanua on the burst against Wellington Maori Development XV at City College on Saturday.
Wanganui Development XV tryscorer Samu Kubunavanua on the burst against Wellington Maori Development XV at City College on Saturday.
The Toyota Wanganui Development XV was so determined to have a good hitout to begin their 2018 RDO Shield campaign that they propped up an undermanned Wellington Maori Development squad to get on the field for a 49-22 win at City College on Saturday.
Wellington Maori, who evidently are quite far down the priority list for their union, as they both play and travel on the smell of an oily rag, brought barely a full XV to Whanganui, but were desperate to avoid defaulting.
Having been reinforced by spare members of the Steelform Wanganui squad, Development XV coach Jerome McCrea was willing to lend four of his own side to fill out the Maori bench and accept the result of the match regardless.
There was not time, or inclination, to check the ancestry of George Forster, Brad O'Leary, Riley Culver and Taione Ratu as they swapped to Maori jerseys, and ironically all four of them had a big part in Wellington's late flurry after Wanganui had blown out to a 35-7 lead by the start of the fourth quarter.
The game was an attacking exhibition with both sides eager to give the ball width – throwing long passes to the wings or trying to take each other on through the midfield.
Wanganui made the early running and if not for a couple of dropped balls inside Wellington's 22m would have scored.
Then after defending their own dangerzone, a couple of penalties set Wanganui up for a scrum from close range and No 8 Bryn Hudson bulldozed his way off the back to score beside the posts.
First-five Nick Harding, who along with fullback Bronson Tumai would maintain a perfect kicking record, took the first conversion.
Wanganui then put the ball through the hands, with Hudson and Harding again prominent, before centre Jaye Flaws took the final pass and dove across in the tackle.
Wellington hit back not long before halftime after Wanganui forced a turnover near their corner flag but stepped out, with the Maori firing in a quick lineout and transferring across for fullback Mason Henry to beat the cover back on the inside and go over by the posts.
Wanganui had to finish the half under pressure as winger Tom Symes came off a little woozy from a big tackle by Parere Amaru, and then the forwards forced a turnover in front of their tryline.
Wanganui Development halfback Cameron Davies goes for a dash
Putting on Wanganui senior squad members Viki Tofa and Tyler Rogers-Holden at halftime immediately paid off as Tofa's hard charge opened the space for Rogers-Holden to dash into Wellington's 22m, where flanker Jack Kinder took the pass to dive over for 21-7.
Another spread by the backline set up Tumai charging to the line and handing off for second-five Troy Brown to score, and then another line break was driven on by the forwards before Tumai broke free to dot down, also taking over the goal kicking for the departed Harding.
At 35-7 it seemed like the scoreline might blow out, but the Maori brought on their Wanganui imports and Ratu made a strong charge to the line so regular reserve halfback Wiki Henry could take it off the breakdown and dive over.
Wanganui replied after another bust led to a penalty near the line and winger Samu Kubunavanua took the tap and jinked his way through traffic to plant the ball.
A couple of penalties for Wellington and they likewise took a close-range tap and spread the ball out for Forester to score against his own team.
O'Leary then cleaned up Cade Robinson with a great hit that had the whole Wanganui bench laughing, although from a scrum win Rogers-Holden set off and linked with reserve Josaia Bogileka, who fended off tacklers on both sides to score.
Wellington, or rather, Wanganui, had the final say as another great burst by Ratu saw the ball spread out to Forester who ducked through tackles to score, leading McCrea to joke that somebody could expect some extra laps at training.
Wanganui Development 49 (B Hudson, J Flaws, J Kinder, T Brown, B Tumai, S Kubunavanua, J Bogileka tries; N Harding 4 con, Tumai 3 con) bt Wellington Maori Development 22 (G Forester 2, M Henry, W Henry tries; K Bishop con). HT: 14-7.
