IMPORTANT WIN FOR WANNEROO
Wanneroo took a tenuous step closer to a place in the finals with a vital 20-10 win over Kalamunda at Kingsway Reserve today in the RugbyWA club competition match of the round, sponsored by KWIK Transport and Crane Hire.
Wanneroo reinforced recent competitive form with a strong forward performance, dominating the scrums and the loose but had to defend furiously at the start and conclusion of the game.
The Roo-dogs led 10-5 at half time in a close, tight first half and at two tries apiece, the boot of Wanneroo goal kicker Wynston Cameron-Dow made the difference as the home side came away with a vital win. Wanneroo remain in sixth place on the table but have an easier road to the finals than Kalamunda, having played most of their hard games.
Kalamunda started strongly to hammer Wanneroo's line in the first 15 minutes and opened the scoring with a try, a punishing maul from a lineout driving hooker Abe Hira over the line.
The conversion missed and Wanneroo came back quickly, driving up the middle with pick and drives to send hooker Jake Smith barreling over for a try. Cameron-Dow converted to give the home side 7-5 lead.
Kalamunda suffered from poor discipline, losing Cruze Ah-Nau to the sin bin and were marched several times by referee John Hill for backchat. Cameron-Dow later added a penalty to give the home side a 10-5 lead going into the break.
The Roo-dogs opened the second spell with try to wing Oliver Viney when Kalamunda ball was knocked down and re-gathered, and Cameron-Down converted. Cameron-Dow added another penalty as the Roo-dogs stretched their lead to 20-5.
Kalamunda dominated the later stages of the game and again hammered the Roo-dogs' line to score a late try to centre Saula Fifita, Wanneroo losing center Ammon Matuauto to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.
“It was a very gutsy win,” Wanneroo coach Elwee Prinsloo said.
“Our forwards were really good today, and we were probably the better disciplined side.
“What we've been through in the club for the last three of four weeks, the boys really played for each other.
“I thought the game was won at the breakdown. We were very aggressive but disciplined.”
Prinsloo conceded that Kalamunda had also been contributors to their own downfall.
“Kalamunda hammered our line but some of their passes were a bit pushed. At times they were their own worst enemies.”
Prinsloo named lock Tim Iro, Smith and hooker Dean Bosnan as his best performers in the game.
Kalamunda coach Paul King was despondent about his team's performance.
“We got out-enthused,” he said.
“It's about the second or third week in a row where we're just dropping everything.
“We're creating opportunities but the ball gets turned over or we just drop it cold. Basic mistakes – if I had hair I'd pull it out.”
King said he changed his forward pack to confront Wanneroo's big unit but despite setting up numerous opportunities, the team was unable to capitalise.
“We hammered away for about 30 minutes, that's what's so disappointing,” King said.
“But full credit to Wanneroo, they deserved their win.”
King nominated locks Nikau Rangiwhetu and Johnny Williams, and Hira as his standout players.
Despite the loss, Kalamunda are still in sight of the top four, but the finals are not on King's mind at this stage.
“I think there's going to be some big changes,” he said.
In other games, premiers Cottesloe squeaked home over University 18-17 at Harvey Field, long-suffering Perth-Bayswater finally saw light at the end of the tunnel when they stopped Wests Subiaco's renaissance with a 17-9 win at Pat O'Hara Reserve, Palmyra hammered Rockingham 53-24 at Tompkins Park, and frontrunners Nedlands narrowly accounted for bogey team Associates 21-16 at Allen Park.
KWIKPremier Grade: Cottesloe 18 def UWA 17, Perth Bayswater 17 def Wests Subiaco 9, Wanneroo 20 def Kalamunda 10, Palmyra 53 def Rockingham 24, Nedlands 21 def Associates 16.
Reserve Grade: Cottesloe 55 def UWA 5, Wests Subiaco 63 def Perth Bayswater 5, Kalamunda 23 def Wanneroo 17, Palmyra 88 def Rockingham 5, Nedlands 23 def Associates 20.
Under 20’s: Cottesloe 20 def UWA 5, Perth Bayswater 42 def Joondalup 10, Wests Subiaco 25 def Kalamunda 3, Palmyra 34 def Curtin Uni 7, Associates 22 def Nedlands 14.
Under 18’s: Cottesloe 17 def Mandurah 10, Wests Subiaco 36 def Perth Bayswater 3, Wanneroo 19 def Kalamunda 12, Palmyra 39 def Southern Lions 7.
3rd Grade Gold: Arks 23 def Joondalup 19, Southern Lions 22 def Bunbury 5, Mandurah 17 def Curtin Uni 13.
3rd Grade Black: Cottesloe 46 def UWA 5, Wests Subiaco 71 def Perth Bayswater 0, Kalamunda 33 def Wanneroo 17, Nedlands 12 def Associates 3.
4th Grade Gold: Arks 33 def Joondalup 0, Southern Lions 31 def Bunbury 0, Curtin Uni 18 def Mandurah 10.
4th Grade Black: UWA 26 def Cottesloe 7, Perth Bayswater 17 drew Wests Subiaco 17, Kalamunda 22 def Wanneroo 18, Nedlands 50 def Associates 3.
4th Grade Blue: Cottesloe 52 def UWA 14, Associates 29 def Nedlands 15, Midland 29 def Rockingham 7.
Women's: Cottesloe 57 def UWA 5, Wanneroo 22 def Kalamunda 10
by Rick Boyd
http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,58645.html
