Tasman Makos: News

13 All draw enough to get Stoke into Senior Club Final
21-Jun-2010

Nelson mail - WAYNE MARTIN
Stoke will take the preferred route to this year's Car Company Nelson Bays division one rugby final despite battling to a 13-all playoff draw with Nelson at Neale Park on Saturday.

Accessman Stoke now have an extra week to prepare for their title defence, after beating Marist in last year's final, with Galbraith Group Nelson earning another life as the top qualifier from round-robin play. Nelson will meet Stables Waimea Old Boys at Neale Park next Saturday to determine the other finalist after Waimea ended Wakatu Marist's season with a 10-5 win at Jubilee Park.

Although the two teams couldn't be separated at Neale Park, Stoke qualified ahead of Nelson by virtue of having won their previous encounter 31-18 at Greenmeadows in round six.

They also outscored Nelson by two tries to one on Saturday after trailing 8-10 at halftime, left winger Gareth McIlroy's try just 11 minutes after the restart enough to get them home against a dogged Nelson side.

Nelson indiscipline saw them reduced to 13 men when hooker Ioane Tuilagi and lock James Foster were both shown yellow cards late in the first half for separate incidents of foul play. Allegations of a stray boot by Foster sparked a brawl between both sets of forwards, Nelson managing to hold Stoke at bay despite their obvious disadvantage.

They'd made an explosive start to the match, with an early James Marshall penalty followed just moments later by a superb long-range try to flanker Shane Christie after left winger Mitchell Scott and Marshall had combined in a blistering 80m attack down the left touch to eventually put Christie across.

But ahead 10-0 after just five minutes, Nelson were gradually forced into defensive mode as Stoke's increased intensity saw the pressure mount inside Nelson's half. Prop Siaki Peti scored from a period of Stoke forward dominance near Nelson's line, with a Kris McNichol penalty cutting Nelson's lead to just two points at the break.

McIlroy's try, following some fine lead-up work by lock Jared Aberhat, gave Stoke their first lead at 13-10, leaving Marshall to level the scores midway through the half.

Nelson flankers Christie and Shane Grieve each achieved massive tackle counts, while hooker Troy Liddell, No8 Lofi Ula, locks Aberhart and Ben Douglas and flanker Stu Tunnicliff were all key players in Stoke's sustained first-half pressure.

Stoke produced several key turnovers as Nelson struggled to generate any consistent attacking play against a tight Stoke defensive screen.

Stoke 13 (Siaki Peti, Gareth McIlroy tries, Kris McNichol pen) Nelson 13 (Shane Christie try, James Marshall 2 pens, con). Halftime: 8-10.

WOB 10 Marist 5

Waimea got their noses in front on a wet and muddy Jubilee Park then held on as Marist applied the pressure over the dying stages in an ultimately futile bid to rescue their season.

Marist had led 5-3 at halftime after dominating the opening quarter through their typically direct forward approach, requiring some solid defence by the home team to limit the damage. Flanker Dennis Tommy emerged with the ball from a controlled 20m forward drive to provide Marist's only points, before Waimea's forwards gradually began to achieve some parity later in the half.

Centre Blair Cook inspired Waimea's second-half try-scoring movement, making the initial break from deep inside his own territory before excellent control and continuity eventually saw flanker Brent McKenzie cross between the posts to give halfback Kaide Whiting the easiest of conversion attempts.

That was enough to extend Waimea's season, although they were required to produce more tough defence over the final 15 minutes as Marist once again applied the pressure.

Loosies Lee Nelmes, Brad Parkes and McKenzie were key figures in Waimea's defensive effort as locks Ben Coman and Glen Gregory and prop Fai Mika helped to reignite their tight forwards after absorbing plenty of early Marist forward pressure. Cook and first five-eighth Jesse Pitman impressed among Waimea's backs.

Marist halfback James King, fullback Afeleki Pelenise and flanker Jonathan Poff all had strong games as Marist's forwards resorted to some proven methods in trying to break down Waimea's resistance. Waimea showed admirable resolve to absorb Marist's anticipated physical approach before snatching the opportunity to extend their playoff hopes.