Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby
Subject: NZ 1st division final: MASSACREE !
From: wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz (Bill Taylor)
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 21:36:35 GMT
Organization: Department of Mathematics, University of Canterbury

Waikato  40     Otago  5

We had been looking forward to a classic clash between one team with a pack
stuffed with all-blacks, and another with a back line full of them. Alas, in
the end the Waikato forwards proved so incredibly dominant, especially when
so amazingly fired up by their home crowd, that it was just no contest.

Though not exactly an anti-climax to the season, this game had no real
interest for the neutral viewer. A massacre is not particularly exciting,
except for the home crowd, and it was clear right from the start that this
was what would happen.

Within a minute there was a scrum, and such was the contemptuous ease with
which Waikato pushed Otago back that it was clear they were nearly doomed.
Within another minute or two the Waikato forwards had steamed over for a try.
Within another 5 minutes came another Waikato forward try, and at 14-0 it
was clearly all over.  Otago went through the motions of trying to play a
final, but there was no real interest in it.

23-0 at half time.
The second half was much the same. Otago simply had no answer to the rampaging
Waikato pack, and thus their star backs, starved of quality possession and
always on the back foot, were unable to show us their stuff. Only a desparate
effort at the final whistle enabled them to get points on the board; probably
a deserved try, but undeservedly scored by the Otago halfback, who had
contributed significantly to Otago's woes by failing to be on hand at some
of the few times they could have won clean ball.

So; a sad game to end a glorious season. The Otago backs can come away with
some feeling of honour; their line was never breached; significantly all 4
the Waikato tries were scored by forwards of from breaks through the scrum
fringes; nothing out wide. The Otago backs (especially the extraordinary Timu),
had the measure of Waikato in defense.
The Waikato backs had a superb platform to work from, but never
looked better than merely competent, except for Strawbridge and Crabbe who
had fine games at full and half backs.

I dare say all the Waikato forwards deserve medals, especially the bullocking
Loe; but probably the greatest credit must go to the Waikato crowd who
roused their team to fervour in a way not seen here for a good long time.
Probably no-one was going to beat Waikato that day, no matter where it had
been played, but at least played in Dunedin we would have seen a closer and
more exciting match than we got; the Otago crowd showed last week that they
too can lift their team to beat a more talented one.
In the end, home crowd advantage probably proved a decisive factor in all
----------------------. the finals, (only 3rd-division Nelson managed to
                      | overcome it by the most silvery thread, and probably
          \           | undeservedly); but in Hamilton it reduced the match
           \          | almost to a farce.
           \\         |
            \\        | Otago will have some reason to feel aggrieved; by
             )`--')   | coming out of the regular season ahead of Waikato
            <  o /    | they should really have had this advantage. I don't
             `\  /    | know how the venues are decided, but it clearly needs
              / /     | to be adjusted; the only flaw in this otherwise
         /_,, ~~      | magnificent competition.
        /   )         |=======================================================
        |  /          |
       /  _>    <-------- Bill Taylor         wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz
      /  /            |
     /   |            |=======================================================
    |    /            |Since we got a video player, I hardly ever read any more.
    \___/             |
      o               |I used to be quite a bookworm.Now I'm more of a tapeworm.
                      |=======================================================

From: grahamc@hpwin052.uksr.hp.com (Graham Cutting)
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 19:39:06 GMT
Subject: England v Canada - low ticket sales
Organization: HP, Berkshire, England