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Minor premiers Kalamunda meet runners-up Nedlands in Saturday’s major semi-final while third-placed Wanneroo play reigning premiers Perth-Bayswater in Sunday’s minor semi-final in the first weekend of the KWIK Senior Rugby competition finals.
The pressure may be marginally less in the coveted major-semi final, but the rewards are greater. The winner of the Kalamunda-Nedlands game gets a ticket into the grand final at Rugby Park, Floreat, on 31 August, with a week of extra preparation and recovery. The loser gets another chance in the preliminary final on 24 August.
Kalamunda edged Nedlands 27-26 in round three with a come-from-behind flurry of late scoring but Nedlands had their revenge in style in round 12, dumping the error prone Bulls 35-18 in a counter-attacking frenzy.
Wanneroo and Perth-Bayswater face a grimmer reality in Sunday’s minor semi-final. The season will be over for the loser of that game while the winner faces the tough task of meeting either Kalamunda or Nedlands in the preliminary final the following week.
The minor semi-final is a rematch of the final home and away round of the competition played last week, when Perth-Bayswater played with enormous intensity to demolish the Roo-dogs 29-12 in a do-or-die effort to leapfrog an unfortunate Rockingham into the finals.
Wanneroo are the great improvers of the 2008 competition, coming from bottom of the table in 2007 to finish third this season under coach Elwee Prinsloo. While they may have lacked motivation in their round 18 match against Perth-Bayswater, their place in the finals already assured, they will be under no illusions in this game.
The weekend promises a feast of high pressure rugby with major and minor semi-finals on throughout all grades, at Rugby Park, Floreat, and McGillivray Oval, Mount Claremont. Full Schedule here