News

Wellington up and running

August 01 2008

Wellington began their Air New Zealand Cup season with a comfortable, if not spectacular, 30-6 victory over Hawke's Bay at the Westpac Stadium on Friday.

A continuous light drizzle put pay to an attractive game of running rugby and instead Wellington were left to grind out a revenge victory - having lost to the same opposition 8-6 last season - that saw them start their campaign with a bonus point win.

Their tries came from Hosea Gear, Michael Hobbs - son of former All Black and current New Zealand Rugby Union Chairman, Jock - Alby Mathewson and Jacob Ellison. New Zealand U20 fly-half Daniel Kirkpatrick added two conversions and two penalties to complete the scoring.

The Lions scored their fourth and vital bonus-point try with the last play of the game when replacement half-back Tomasi Palu charged down a clearing Hawke's Bay kick from the base of a five metre scrum and loosehead prop Jacob Ellison scrambled through to score.

Ellison's full-time clincher topped an excellent performance from Wellington in wet and windy conditions and up against a committed Hawke's Bay team.

Patience and persistence won the day for the Lions against the plucky Magpies who competed strongly and defended well throughout.

The Lions scored three second half tries to pull away from Hawke's Bay with the wind behind them after leading 8-6 at half-time.

Gear provided the highlight of the first half, scoring a well-taken winger's try in the corner in the 10th minute of play, receiving a pinpoint pass from centre and captain Tamati Ellison and threading his way through two Magpies defenders to score in the corner and finish off a sustained build-up of attack.

Kirkpatrick added a long-range penalty in the 20th minute to increase the advantage to 8-0, before his opposite Matt Berquist replied with two penalties including one on the stroke of half-time.

Kirkpatrick extended the lead by three points soon after the break, but Hawke's Bay remained committed to their cause, particularly through the efforts of their hard-working forwards led by Hurricanes flanker Michael Johnson in his 100th first class game, and marshalled by captain and scrum-half Danny Lee.

But a positive game-plan and territorial pressure paid off for the Lions when hard running Hobbs was on hand to regather a charge down by Brendan Watt and scooted 25 metres to touch down on debut.

Kirkpatrick added the extras and Wellington were now in a handy 18-6 lead.

The match-winner was scored in the 69th minute by the impressive Mathewson off an attacking line-out.

Discarded All Blacks flanker Chris Masoe tapped the ball back to Mathewson and the livewire half-back sold a dummy only to skip through two defenders to score a great individual converted try.

The Lions maintained their attacking pressure right to the end and Hobbs almost grabbed a double but a forward pass canceled out his brace.

Replacement lock Api Naikatini was also denied at the death when he was ruled to have put a foot into touch with one minute remaining.

But their efforts were duly rewarded right at the end when Mathewson's replacement Palu almost scored off his own charge down, with the TMO instead awarding Jacob Ellison the try after a mad scramble to the loose ball.

The scorers:

For Wellington:

Tries: Gear, Hobbs, Mathewson, J.Ellison

Cons: Kirkpatrick 2

Pens: Kirkpatrick 2

For Hawke's Bay:

Pens: Berquist 2

The Teams:

Wellington: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Brendan Watt, 13 Tamati Ellison (c), 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Chris Masoe, 5 Jeremy Thrush (vice-captain), 4 Ross Filipo, 3 John Schwalger, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Jacob Ellison.

Replacements: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 Api Naikatini, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Tomasi Palu, 22 Tu Umaga-Marshall.

Hawke's Bay: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Jason Kupa, 13 Jason Shoemark, 12 Sam Giddens, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Matt Berquist, 9 Danny Lee (c) , 8 George Naoupu, 7 Karl Lowe, 6 Michael Johnson, 5 Bryn Evans, 4 Matt Egan, 3 Tom Simpson, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Sona Taumalolo.

Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Josh Keys, 18 Johan Snyman, 19 Adam Bradey, 20 Chris Eaton, 21 Daniel Waeng, 22 Bruno Cuezzo.