Highs and lows in Woodlands’ win
Woodlands’ pleasing 18-5 win over the Eastern-Northern Barbarians on Saturday has come at a cost for Southland’s defending premier club rugby champions.
It was Woodlands who claimed victory in what could well be the toughest, and most intense fixture, of the club season to date.
But Woodlands are now expected to go about their next six weeks without their key attacking threat Tauasosi Tuimavave.
Tuimavave has impressed in his first season in Southland after the former New Zealand under-20 representative transferred from Wellington.
However, 20 minutes into Saturday’s game he suffered a high ankle sprain. The early diagnosis is six weeks on the sideline which would make the return date a semifinal clash on July 11 which Woodlands are expected to be part of.
Woodlands suffered another blow when fellow back Dan Hurley went down with a neck injury in the second half which held up the game. Much of the delay was precautionary with Hurley expected to be fine.
Injuries aside, Saturday’s game at Woodlands was a glowing and encouraging endorsement for club rugby in Southland, at a time where there is some obvious concern around some of the standards being offered up in the premier competition.
Woodlands rolled out a team which included Southland centurions Jamie Mackintosh and Jason Rutledge, former Canterbury lock Joel Everson and a host of other Stags contenders. To the Barbarians credit they were up for the challenge.
They showed promise despite losing 18-5.
Woodlands made the best use of the wind getting out to a 18-0 halftime lead. First five-eighth Jamie Verran carved off the metres with his boot to get field position leaving the Woodlands’ forward pack to do the rest.
Woodlands scored two first half tries through their forward pack, the only tries of the game.
The Barbarians were much better in the second half and actually won that period 5-0 but Woodlands did enough defensively to hang tight for victory.
While disappointed with the loss Barbarians coach Bretton Taylor saw enough to be confident his team can match a full strength Woodlands team come the crunch stage of the season.
‘‘It was a pretty intense game, there were some big hits going in. They always seem to have their best team on the field when we play them. They were probably full strength,’’ Taylor said.
‘‘For us it was probably just 10 minutes either side of half time that was disappointing.’’
For Woodlands the likes of Verran and Everson impressed. While for the Barbarians, Morgan Mitchell continued his good form, locks Mike McKee and Peter Grant were strong, and the ever reliable Mark Wells was a key factor in the backs. (At Woodlands) Woodlands 18, Pirates-Old Boys 5. (At Surrey Park) Pirates-Old Boys 46, Midlands 0. (At Blues) Marist 43, Blues 8.
Woodlands coach Damien Pine was pleased to be able to roll out a team with plenty of power and experience on Saturday, which included Mackintosh who was not included in the Chiefs 23 for Saturday night’s game against the Hurricanes.
‘‘Whopper played 80 [minutes] on the tighthead side and I thought he added a lot. Just the game plan we took in, to have him and Joel [Everson] was big for us,’’ Pine said.
While Woodlands and the Barbarians went toe-to-toe in a tense affair the other two games went to the form guide with Pirates-Old Boys and Marist picking up big wins.
Marist beat Blues 46-8, but despite the bonus point win Blues did ask some tough questions of Marist in certain areas.
The most difficult test they pro- vided Marist with was at scrumtime as Blues frontrowers Micheal Peterson, Ben Soper, Daniel Roberts and Jeremy Borland applied pressure through the entire 80 minutes.
However, Marist were too slick in the backs department and their biggest strength at the moment probably centres around their loose forwards.
Tangaroa Walker was a standout on Saturday, while the likes of Phil Halder and Hua Tamariki are other key players for Marist in the loose forwards.
Pirates-Old Boys also passed 40 in their matchup with Midlands at Surrey Park on Saturday, winning 46-0.
Pirates-Old Boys now eye an intriguing matchup with the Barbarians on Saturday.