Ruapehu U21s vs Wanganui Pirates

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 592, 27 June 1995, Page 10

Ruapehu U21s vs Wanganui Pirates

In their first-round rugby game, played in Wanganui, the U21s held on to win 25-22 against the Wanganui Pirates. Expecting a home game in the second round the boys on finding that they had to play in Wanganui again, became men on a mission. Playing into a slight head wind and a very strong cross wind it took the U21s two minutes to score their first try. Up 5-0, then Pirates scored a soft try, down 7-5, then up 1 07, then down 14-7. For the last 60 minutes of the game the U21 s kept Pirates scoreless. The U21s on the other hand scored a few more points — they literally blew Pirates off the field in all facets of play. The forwards won their share of the line outs, drove well in the loose and when stopped, went to ground and set up good ruck ball. From here the backs took over and spun the ball whenever the option was on, nothing flashy or dazzling, but the ball was beating the man to the wings where Craig (man of the match) Pye scored 4 and Michael Hope one. Fill-in half back Joey (Chuck) Metekingi played very well getting the backs away. The few times he ran it he either scored or set up a try. For a player with an upset stomach he took all the right options. But generally all the U21s from fullback to hooker played well as individuals and very well as a 15man team to run Pirates off the park.