Wanganui rugby management are still at a loss to explain their second half disaster in Saturday's Meads Cup final, but it's clear that four injuries certainly played a big part in the 29-27 loss at Ruatoria.
Steelform Wanganui captain Peter Rowe suggested his team "maybe stopped attacking. Whether we sat back and tried to defend it [27-3 up after 53 minutes], I don't know."
But clearly the loss of the three inside backs within minutes of each other played a big part, as did the knee injury suffered by outstanding young lock Nick Cranston.
The combined effect of the four, the 27C heat and the growing effect of an East Coast side urged on by the masses culminated in an extraordinary turnaround, with a rampant Coast scoring four tries in those final 26 minutes to grab victory in the final minute.
Certainly there were questions being asked around Wanganui on Saturday afternoon as to why so many personnel changes were made in such a short time - six of them between the 50th and 56th minutes of the game.