If the Ben Werthmuller and Matene Ruawai road show keeps on trucking, don't rule out Old Boys-Marist from the Hankins Shield semifinals as they set out to run down Te Kawau.
COB, through their offloading, piled on five more tries to be 36-0 up and a cricket score beckoned in the second spell. One try was a beauty from a restart when Andre Taylor ran from his own line, Johnny Galloway crosskicked and Andrew McDougall scored 100 metres upfield. Instead, Freyberg won the second half 19-5 after they reconfigured their backline and rumbled on the oldest club player in Manawatū, 42-year-old lock Karl Stewart. COB began conceding penalties and injuries hit badly including serious ones to lock Jared Goodson (ribs) and wing Awatere Kiwara (knee).
WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
College Old Boys first five-eighth Stewart Cruden, right, tries to push off Freyberg fullback Beau Hourigan.
The cornerstone of Yellows’ recent dominance, their scrum, gave them an armchair ride in the second half. Feilding started dominating in the tight, with big men Sam Wasley, Hayden Stratford, Sean Rankin and Tietie Tuimauga all hard to stop. FOB-Ōroua were stuck in their end and couldn t come up with much on attack. Wild scored his second try late in the game to seal the win and his kicking kept the Stags pinned in their half. Both teams let scoring opportunities go, with dropped ball in the rain costing them, including Feilding wing Brad Carr, who spilled the ball over the line.
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