WEST COAST RETAINS RUNDLE CUP
West Coast winger Taylor Robinson makes his way down the grandstand side.
Bill Phillips
West Coast retained the prized Rundle Cup against Buller on Saturday, in a Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Rugby Championship season finale.
After leading 17-6 at half-time with three tries, West Coast, playing at home at John Sturgeon Park, scored 17 points in the second half to deservedly win the long rivalry clashes between the neighbouring unions, 34-11.
West Coast first-five Cam Burgess kicked off the game, played in overcast but warm conditions and attended by the biggest home crowd of the season.
Many Buller supporters travelled to Greymouth with high hopes of returning the trophy to Westport, but Coast did the hard yards to secure the win.
From the outset, West Coast wanted to play the game at pace, which they did. Buller were more than accepting of that and reciprocated in kind. Coast were first to open the scoring, winning a lineout in the Buller half and had the ball out to the backs, who looked really hungry. Under pressure to the line, it was winger Malaki Cagi who went over wide out to put West Coast on the scoreboard, 5-0.
Soon after, Coast were hot on attack again. The forwards looked particularly hungry to keep the ball and from a set piece, lock Heneli Moala scored wide out.
Buller then had a successful penalty kick to open their account and first-five Matt Soper obliged -- West Coast 10, Buller 3. Three minutes later Buller were hot on attack and out through the backline the ball went. Iliesa Tora put a kick over the defence and was able to regather well and had an open run to the line for a certain try, however West Coast defence just got to him and the ball went forward. It was a huge let off for the home team.
Soper then had his second penalty success as Coast infringed, and Buller pulled the score back to 10-6.
West Coast scored again minutes later. The forwards were in control as they forged close to the line. Great line speed from the backs and No 10 Cam Burgess scored wide out in a well taken try. He converted his own try to extend the lead to 17-6, and that was the half-time score as referee Will Todd blew his whistle a few minutes later.
Buller made the perfect start to the second half as they scored in the corner on the grandstand side of the field. Winger Iliesa Tora had no room to move, lots of West Coast traffic to get through and out of nowhere. He magically dotted down in what was a superb individual effort.
West Coast hit back immediately in the opposite corner as Benny Vauvau was moonlighting out wide and took a few Buller players over with him as he dotted down -- West Coast 22, Buller 11. About 10 minutes later Vauvau scored his second try of the day, almost in the same spot as he was ranging wide of the set piece. Burgess with the conversion moved the score to 29-11.
Buller soon cleared the ball after Coast had kicked through. Vauvau was in the thick of the action again, bringing the ball back and ran wide before he fed it to fullback Jin Ho Mun, who darted down the touchline, beating all-comers to score.
That ended the scoring in an entertaining match, West Coast running out winners 34-11.
West Coach head coach Jared Mitchell said it was great to retain the Rundle Cup with a solid performance and was pleased with the whole team's effort and to finish the season on a high.
West Coast finished in 10th position on the Heartland Championship table after the five-try bonus point win, while Buller were one spot below in 11th place.
West Coast 34 (B Vauvau 2, M Cagi, C Burgess, J H Mun tries, C Burgess 3 con, pen) Buller 11 (Iliesa Tora try, M Soper 2 pen)
Isi Saumaki, West Coast centre, evading the Buller defence.