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Win/Win For Wanneroo and Palmyra in Final Game
Palmyra won the minor premiership despite losing a close, tough game 26-23 to Wanneroo at Kingsway today, and the Roo-dogs grabbed a bonus point in the last play of the day to secure a place in the finals of the WA club rugby competition, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
Both teams had something to celebrate after the final whistle. Wanneroo's bonus point win grabbed them a place in the finals that start at Lark Hill, Rockingham, in two weeks, and rendered irrelevant Associates' margin over Perth-Bayswater at Pat O'Hara Reserve that threatened to steal their fourth placing in the final round of the competition. Coach Elwee Prinsloo can now prepare his team for the minor semi-final with players returning from injury and a quality win under their belt.
For Palmyra, the bonus point loss sealed their minor premiership -- an amazingly different prize to the wooden spoon they collected in 2008. Coach Dave Ball was treated to an impromptu shower from the team ice-water bucket after the game to celebrate the feat, and he must now marshal his troops for the serious business of the major semi-final, and its vital second chance of a shot at the big title.
Palmyra had the better of the first half to lead 18-7 at the break but the Roo-dogs were men with a mission and stormed home with a full time try to snatch the win.
Palmyra got on top early, helped by Wanneroo's handling errors, but the Roo-dogs almost scored from a brilliant breakout by fullback Koiaty Koiatu and centre Dominic Hitchcock.
Instead, Paly kicked downfield and flyhalf Quintyn Austin kicked a simple penalty after 15 minutes when Wanneroo deliberately knocked the ball down in defence of their line.
Two minutes later Paly were in again, forwards and backs combining in a free-flowing attack from half way, wing Ricky Jones eventually collecting a gift pass to score midway to the side line. Austin bounced the conversion off the post but the visitors went ahead 8-0.
Wanneroo struggled to break Palmyra's stranglehold using heavyweight inside centre Palei Masila and athletic blindside flanker Lance Hamilton as line-breakers in close but were repeatedly caught out for ruck offences. When one went their way after 25 minutes, number 8 Terataau Whaanga stormed through the defence for a classy try, and Koiatu converted from in front to draw close at 8-7.
The game fluctuated as the half wound down but with five minutes to play, Paly gained an attacking scrum close to Wanneroo's line after the Roo-dogs knocked on. The ball went to inside centre Malo Lauti and he smashed through a couple of tackles to score beside the posts.
Austin converted and followed with an attempted penalty kick two minutes later, again bouncing the ball off the posts. Then in the last play of the half he landed the most difficult kick of the day, a penalty goal from the sideline, to take the visitors into the break 18-7 up.
The Roo-dogs opened stronger in the second half and six minutes in, Koiatu scored a deceptively easy try through ineffectual tackling, on the blind from a scrum.
Palmyra surged back downfield, Austin missing a wide penalty attempt after 12 minutes, but Wanneroo stuck to their guns and gained a scrum ten metres out after Paly knocked on. The Roo-dogs patiently ran nine phases before Masila thumped up and handed out to Hamilton who stretched out for a try close to the posts after 17 minutes. Koiatu converted and the Roo-dogs snatched the lead at 19-18.
Palmyra lifted to dominate territory and almost scored from a kick and chase. Then after 24 minutes, they took a quick tap from a penalty out wide and Lauti shot into the corner for a try to retake the lead 23-19.
But Wanneroo came right back, hammering Paly's line with attacking phases. The Roo-dogs drove over on the half hour but lost the ball over the line, and lost possession in goal again from a tap penalty four minutes later.
the home side kept at it and there was no mistake in the last play of the game when, from another penalty, the ball went out to reserve flyhalf Mike Samson and he burst through to score under the bar.
In other games, Associates downed Perth-Bayswater 39-25 at Pat O'Hara Reserve; Cottesloe were relegated to the minor semi-final when strong-finishing outgoing premiers Kalamunda upset them 29-20 at Harvey Field; third-placed Nedlands stole the Seagulls' spot in the major semi-final when they defeated wooden-spooners Wests-Subiaco 41-7 at Rosalie Park; and Rockingham beat University 27-19 at McGillivray Oval.
by Rick Boyd
http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,56276.html
