Finals spot for U21's

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 646, 23 July 1996, Page 13

Finals spot for U21's

Ruapehu U2 1 rugby team won its last competition game against second placed Marist at Spriggens Park, Wanganui on Saturday by 25-7. The first half was very untidy rugby with a lot of off-the-ball play by Marist. This type of play unsettled Ruapehu players and a lot of fights broke out. Marist went to the break 7-3 up and Ruapehu coaches drilled home to the players to let the opposition keep on fighting and Ruapehu players get back to their game plan of playing open style rugby. To the players' credit they did just that and scored 22 points in the second half and conceded none. Two very good tries in the second half, one an intercept by Terry Tumata who then raced away from three defenders to run in from 40 metres out. Just minutes later Mario Mariekura was taken out of play as he unloaded a pass to Kelly Arahanga who cut the opposition to bits and ran in from halfway. The other points came from the boot of Chris Winter with five penalties. So the U21 's

now having won both combined rounds and northern champs by winning 13 out of the 14 games played, take a week' s break and then play Marist again on 3 August at Raetihi in the major semi final. The winner goes straight into the grand final on 17 August at Wanganui. Training this week is on Thursday at Ohakune and Saturday at Raetihi. Ruapehu lost another player for the season with Kerry Windle joining James O' Hanlon with a major knee injury.