South Canty head across alps again
Another trip across the Southern Alps in an attempt to lift Heartland rugby’s Lochore Cup is not worrying South Canterbury coach Nigel Walsh.
The ‘‘Green and Blacks’’ reached the final with an eighttry 56-24 semifinal victory over Buller in Westport on Saturday and will now face top seeds West Coast in Greymouth in the final this Saturday. While the final means another trip across the Southern Alps, Greymouth is closer than Westport and Walsh is not worried.
‘‘The boys like travelling together and they will certainly be up for the final in Greymouth,’’ Walsh said.
South Canterbury will know a win is possible after they lost to West Coast 27-24 in the final round game but only after the Coast put together a remarkable comeback. Coast had a much harder semifinal than expected against Poverty Bay in a highscoring contest, edging out the Bay 41-35.
Walsh was delighted with Saturday’s win.
‘‘We put the pressure on the players to perform and they did, from one through to 22. Everyone got game time.’’
Walsh said game was won up front with a number of standout performers.
‘‘Anthony [Amato] had a huge game, with three tries in an outstanding effort; Kieran Coll was a workaholic. Ryan McNab ran himself into the ground in his 45 minutes after having had five weeks off.
‘‘He dotted down on debut so I was delighted for him.’’
Walsh said the new-look backline with Theo Davidson at halfback, Willie Wright at first five, Miles Medlicott at second and Shayne Anderson at centre clicked.
‘‘They all played very well and things gelled which gave Vinny [wing Kalavini Leatigaga] opportunities.’’
South Canterbury ran in five second-half tries as they posted their biggest win of the season.
For South Canterbury, there were plenty of standout performers including blindside Amato who had a huge game and scored a hat-trick.
Seven of South Canterbury’s eight tries went to the hardworking pack.
The most special was probably to No 8 McNab who scored on his debut.
Lock Regan O’Gorman, openside Cam Russell and loose forward replacement Siu Kakala also got across the line along with wing Leatigaga.
Halfback Wright converted five tries and also added two penalties.
South Canterbury led 17-10 at halftime with a try each side of the break crucial as Buller failed to take advantage of playing with a strong wind.
The Lochore Cup is awarded to the side that finishes fifth in the Heartland Championship.
The Meads Cup final, for the top four teams, will be in Oamaru after defending champions and No 1 seeds Thames Valley were tipped out 20-15 by Wanganui.
The Swamp Foxes could not get across the line against the Butcher Boys despite having home advantage and had to rely on five penalties from Reece Broughton for their points.
Wanganui have been on the charge late in the Heartland season and their win was not unexpected.
That result made North Otago the highest surviving seed, handing them the right to host the final.
North Otago also had a couple of nervous moments when Wairarapa Bush scored two late tries but they survived 27-25.
Wanganui will start favourites to win their seventh title, while North Otago claimed their last victory back in 2007.
Points South Canterbury 56 (Anthony Amato 3, Ryan McNab, Cam Russell,
Regan O’Gorman, Kalavini Leatigaga, Siu Kakala tries; Willie Wright 5 con, 2 pen) Buller 24 (Iliesa Ravudra, Mitieli Kaloudigibeci, Daniel Hytongue tries; Andrew Stephens 2 con, pen; Ravudra con). HT: 17-10.