MacCallum’s try in injury time does trick for Wakatipu
THE latest round of the Central Otago premier rugby competition was played in harsh, wintry conditions on Saturday.
The playingthrough champion, Wakatipu, scored a lastgasp win over the previously unbeaten Upper Clutha, 83, at the Queenstown Recreation Ground, Arrowtown and Alexandra scored at a point a minute with the visitors winning 5335 at Molyneux Park, while Cromwell held on to the White Horse Cup 1612 over a gallant Maniototo side at Anderson Park in Cromwell.
A try in the corner in injury time, to right winger Angus MacCallum was enough to clinch victory 83 to Wakatipu in a tight contest played in tough conditions. It allowed the home side to leapfrog the previous competition leader, Upper Clutha.
Wakatipu first fiveeighth Jamie Natapu and his opposite, Josh Roberts, traded firsthalf penalties for the teams to be locked at 3all after the first 40 minutes. Both teams continued to slug it out in the conditions and the MacCallum try finally broke the deadlock.
Arrowtown and Alexandra put on a good display of running rugby at Molyneux Park despite the terrible conditions. It ended at 5335 in favour of Arrowtown. Both teams deserve credit for the game in which 14 tries were scored, nine to the visitors.
Arrowtown held a 1514 lead at the break. Alexandra will rue a 10minute spell in the second half during which it fell asleep and let the visitors in for three converted tries that essentially ended the home side’s chances.
Speedster Liam Jenkins helped himself to four tries, midfield back Adam Jackson grabbed two tries while Connor Bisset, Adam Dunn and replacement Matt Flower all crossed the line. Bissett added three conversions and fullback Lawrence Wadham kicked one.
Alexandra earned itself a tryscoring bonus point, showing some good attacking skills. Hooker Nick Gloag, who had an excellent game, scored a good try while Dave Lilley, Rynhard Kruger, Brett Harris and fullback Logan Cornish also crossed for tries. Kruger converted all five tries.
Cromwell breathed a huge sigh of relief when the referee blew the whistle for fulltime, allowing it to bank the four points and put the White Horse Cup back in the trophy cabinet.
Like the other games, this was played in very average conditions with most of the play between the 22m lines, and the teams were locked 6all after the first 40 minutes. Hooker Kees Scott, who has been in excellent early season form, crossed for the game’s solitary try.
Captain Ben Maxwell added the conversion and kicked three penalties to round out the scoring for the home side.
Maniototo gave this game a real shot but was rewarded only with four penalties, kicked by Angus Gibb, for its efforts.
For the second week in a row, Matakanui Combined had to default, this time to Clyde Earnscleugh. Injury did not allow the regulation number of frontrow forwards to take their place, forcing the default.