"Beaten by a good team" (Mr van Stipriaan)
Click here to view pics Hastings BHS pics
The PNBHS 1st XV played the very impressive Hastings Boys’ 1st XV over the weekend in the second round of the Super 8. Both sides were the only two sides who earned unbeaten records through the Hurricanes Preseason Festival and so on paper the fixture had the potential to be an epic encounter.
As it turned out, the first 25 minutes were extremely even and while the home side didn’t give up, Hastings wore us down through an aggressive and consistent approach to the break down. In the first stanza of play, PNBHS used the wind well to exert some territorial pressure on Hastings who matched this with very good defence. A number of opportunities were created through positive play by us but we were unable to break through the Hastings tacklers. As the game progressed, Hastings were getting more looks at our try line and indeed opened the scoring with an excellent passage of team phase play from a line out. We replied with a piece of individual hard work with Leighton Ralph turning a so-so kick into a very good one with an excellent chase and charge down, regathering the ball to score. Play seesawed through the next fifteen minutes before Hastings scored an excellent set piece try following a misread on defence. This resulted in them taking a 14-7 lead into the half, having played into the wind.
The second half started much as the first had ended with Hastings running roughshod over us at the breakdown. This stopped us from creating fast ball to utilise our strike out wide and meant we played a lot of rugby inside our own half given the strength of the wind. Turnovers were leading to further pressure and Hastings scored two more tries in the middle part of the 2nd half following excellent phase play. We continued to try and play catch up rugby but by now the Hastings forwards were playing with a lot of confidence and their backs were feasting on quick go forward ball. Their 5th try was another well worked set piece try and their 6th the result of a lack of urgency to cover a deft grubber through the defensive line. This left the final score as 40-7.
All in all we were beaten by a better team that played a very good brand of rugby. While we did some things well, we were guilty of having poor body position at the breakdown and not driving past the ball resulting in slow ball or turnovers.
The team looks to rebound now as we head away to the perennially strong Hamilton this weekend where hopefully the lessons of the past two Super 8 games are heeded.
Point scorers:
Try: Leighton Ralph
Conversion: Sean Pape
