Prems, Colts fall, Prem Reserves keep rolling
There were three big games at Evans Bay on Saturday afternoon including the Hardham Cup clash between MSP and OBU that was billed as the game to watch.
That match was a bit of a fizzer for both sides. Each team enjoyed periods of strong play but the match lacked the intensity games between these two clubs have experienced in recent years.
Perhaps an indictment of the state of the competition with many sideline pundits seeing the game as a dead rubber with supporters expecting the presence of the two clubs in the semi finals to be a foregone conclusion.
On the match itself, our Premiers controlled long periods of possession and territory in the first half which they failed to capitalise on, taking a 7-5 lead into the break for oranges.
The second half was dull for long stretches with injuries and errors. OBU took their opportunities to jump ahead but the only real intensity came late in the half when the visitors managed to repel wave after wave of attack from their hosts.
Earlier the Premier Reserves maintained their unbeaten record but made tough work of it coming off the bye. After taking a 12-5 lead into halftime they were scoreless in the second to win 12-8.
The Colts lost their second game of the season, again to OBU. Trailing by 14-19 at halftime they couldn't contain the visitors in the second half, falling 19-41.
The Premier Women played on Friday night under lights in the first game of the second round Izzy Ford Trophy. They beat the merged Wainuiomata-Avalon side 83-0 with utility back turned hooker Jane Bryce scoring three tries and a number of conversions.
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