Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby
Subject: Semi-finals;   N.Z. championships.
From: wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz (Bill Taylor)
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 10:02:22 GMT
Organization: Department of Mathematics, University of Canterbury

Well, the first year of the new division championships must have exceeded the
wildest dreams of its organizers !  We have had a weekend of unparalleled 
provincial rugby excitement here in New Zealand, showing once again what an
incredible depth of talent there is here.  The semi-finals games themselves
were so exciting that next weekend's finals will probably be an anticlimax.

3rd Division
~~~~~~~~~~~~   Nelson Bays  27   Mid-Canterbury  13

It was a weekend of underdogs whacking out halftime leads, and mid-c did
a grand job to lead 13-5 at half-time. But it was with the help of a strong
wind, and Nelson made full use of the same, and their superior efficient control
took them to a comfortable win over a gallant attempt.

               Horowhenua   30   Wanganui   22

A surprise upset from a division that had perfectly consistent results in the
regular season. A fiery performance reversed the expected win by #2 Wanganui.

Allegedly part of Horowhenua's motivation was to get a "revenge" match against
Nelson, as their regular season match descended into a brawl, and had to be
called off early !  They have virtually promised a blood-bath final. Glad I
don't have to referee that one !

2nd Division
~~~~~~~~~~~~   Taranaki  29   Manawatu  18

Though only shared top of the table, Taranaki have looked like division
winners all season, (indeed they're only in 2nd division in part due to a
technicality). They predictably cruised to a comfy win, though Manawatu put
up a far fiercer fight than in the last-round clash between these two teams,
and it wasn't fully decided till right near the end.

               Counties  31   Bay of Plenty  29

The weekend's closest cliff-hanger, but not necessarily the most exciting,
being to some extent a comedy of errors, or more exactly, a full-back's
nightmare. Both were under severe pressure, and found wanting. But close scores
from start to finish kept this enthralling. Final result was just a toss-up.

I hope and believe that the Taranaki forward machine will prove too strong
for Counties in the final. It will add a lot of interest to next year's 1st
division if it has colorful "Bull" Allen, Taranaki's beefy vegetarian captain.

1st division
~~~~~~~~~~~~  Waikato  27    Auckland   21

UPSET OF THE SEASON !! The mighty orcs downed at last, and to "lowly" 4th-placed
Waikato, with a backline of virtual unknowns, but a forward pack stuffed with
all-blacks past and present, led by the redoubtable Loe (Australians may stop
reading). For the first time recently, the massive orc forward machine looked
as if it might be nearly matched, and so it proved, with the Waikato pack pretty
much holding its own against a tired team. Incredible fire, and a bit of luck,
helped Waikato to a 27-9 lead at half-time. Auckland are used to coming from
behind, but this looked almost too much. But a skittery, even panicky third
quarter saw a large number of professional fouls *and* totally unnecessary
ones punished by kicking machine Fox, which brought them back to the final score.
But though all the second half pressure came from Auckland, they seem to have
run out of ideas, and apart from the ever-fiery Zinzan Brooke, there were no 
real stars there. Not only beaten on the score-board, but humiliated in the
try-scoring stakes, 3 to 1. 
               For Waikato the highly visible and ever reliable fullback
Strawbridge had a marvellous game, and steadied the defense for the last
desparate quarter.  Sadly, John Kirwan had a disastrous game; early on giving
a hopeless hospital pass to Fox which nearly had him crippled, then capping
off the move by virtually giving away a try in the ensuing scramble. His
gloom was complete when in the dying minutes he fumbled an easy pass that
would have sent an unmarked man over for a try. J.K. has had several lacklustre
games now; ever since South Africa. Is he finally on the downhill slide ?

With this defeat, Auckland, not getting its usual luck of the bounce and help
from the ref, look distinctly unworthy shield-holders. Though this match was
on their home ground, it did not count as a shield match; but they are hardly
proud bearers now, and North Harbour will be rueing their agonizingly close
challenge last week. Auckland are likely to keep the Ranfurly shield for
all of next season, due to the luck of the home-&-away draw; but they are
most unconvincing holders now; out of the championships, and out of ideas.


             Otago  26    North Harbour  23

The most exciting game of the season, without a doubt, and with a "boy's-own"
finish to enrapture the enthusiastic home crowd.    Otago were perhaps slightly
the underdog team, (in spite of being 2nd in the league), but with home crowd
advantage this would be nullified. Indeed, the crowd inspired them to heroic
efforts in the first half, which they won 13-3. But they were desparately
unlucky to have a last-minute try denied by the ref, when, again, a TV replay
showed that it *had* been scored. A 20-3 lead, as should have been, would
probably have been too much even for the Harbour.
   But from 13-3, come-back kings N.H. set about their task as usual, and 
gained a steady and increasing dominance up front; both in scrums and more
alarmingly in line-outs. With a feast of possession, they ground their way
back into the game, with Little and Bunce producing typical fireworks in
finishing. Moving to 16-13 near to time, it seemed they'd done it again, but
Otago had never given up, and a lete penalty (with Otago's Cooper kicking
perfectly) levelled the scores at 16-16.

EXTRA TIME ! The first I ever recall seeing in a rugby game ! Even though
only 10 miniutes each way, it looked bad for both exhausted teams, but worse
for Otago, with their weahened pack. And again Harbour piled on the pressure
and again seemed to have clinched it with a craker try set up by the irrepressible
Bunce. At 23-16 they turned around, and it was desparate for Otago. A draw
would probably give Harbour the final placing, so a penalty with only a few
minutes to go was coolly given to be kicked; 27-19. Then a seesaw last few
minutes were battled out, with Otago finally converting one of their rare
forays near the Harbour line into a piece of magic as Timu ducked between two
defenders to send over Cooper for the boy's-own game winner. There were still
some seconds to go, and Harbour were on the brink of a counterstrike when
Timu, starring yet again, nailed the flying Tagaloa to clinch the game.

What a breathless game ! Test match standard all the way through, and worthy
of a world cup final; and in all probability the real 1st division final (with
due apologies to Waikato supporters).
                        Though my own partizan prejudices were not involved,
----------------------. I could hardly help jumping for joy on behalf of both
                      | teams.  Harbour will feel they should have won; Little's
          \           | mediocre goal-kicking denying them a probable victory.
           \          | 
           \\         | But in a way, justice was done for Otago, in view of
            \\        | their unawarded first-half try.
             )`--')   | 
            <  o /    | And it will give a bigger edge to the grand final, to
             `\  /    | have one team from each island; providing even more
              / /     | interest for the country at large beyond Auckland.
         /_,, ~~      | 
        /   )         |=======================================================
        |  /          |
       /  _>    <-------- Bill Taylor         wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz
      /  /            |
     /   |            |=======================================================  
    |    /            |
    \___/             |Of COURSE you're entitled to your own opinions,   
      o               |            just keep them to yourself.
                      |=======================================================
From: dbooth@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (david booth)
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992 16:58:14 GMT
Subject: Re: History of Rugby
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server