Wanganui wins Meads Cup again

Wanganui showed the value of grand final nous when upsetting Mid Canterbury in the Meads Cup final 34-13 at Rugby Park in Christchurch on Saturday.

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The game was played away from Mid Canterbury's Ashburton base due to a double booking of its home ground and the Wanganui team, which won the Meads Cup last year, scored all its points in the second half.

Playing with the advantage of the easterly breeze during the first half, Mid Canterbury found its usually reliable kicker Kieran Lindsay unable to find the posts consistently and he missed five possible scoring chances but at least the consistency of his side under pressure was better than that of Wanganui which gave away too many chances for only one attempt of its own.

Halfback Denning Tyrell had only one chance but was also unable to land the chance.

However, Lindsay did his first eight minutes into the first half and added a second after 32 minutes.

Wanganui had an early setback when No.8 Lasa Ulukuta was sin-binned after only three minutes for an illegal tackle on second five-eighths Jack Umaga. While no tries were conceded in his absence, the first came moments after his return when Mid Canterbury created a turnover in the Wanganui 22m area. Prop Craig Dunlea charged ahead and over the advantage line to set up quick rucked ball which was spun left for fullback Richard Fridd to get over in the corner.

Earlier, lock Jon Dampney showed the gathering dominance of the home forward pack when bursting off a maul in a powerful run downfield in which he was dragged down just short of the goal-line.

Lindsay added the conversion from the sideline.

Mid Canterbury went to halftime leading 13-0 but without its tryscorer Fridd who landed heavily on his shoulder in a tackle and was forced to leave the field with an AC joint injury.

Mid Canterbury went close to scoring again after a fine mid-field break by Umaga which broke down with a dropped pass.

Ten minutes into the second half, Wanganui showed the virtue of patience in a solid assault on the Mid Canterbury line when it created a chance after first five-eighths Leon Mason broke the line and placed the ball for supporting flanker Fraser Hammond to secure the ball to go over for the try which Tyrell converted.

Conceding the try seemed to fire-up the Mid Canterbury side which charged back onto attack courtesy of a fine driving break by hooker and captain James Carr. However, it went unrewarded and it was Wanganui which broke back downfield.

Some good tidying work by hooker Cole Baldwin provided a chance which was well taken when second five-eighths Steelie Koro slipped a grubber kick through to the goalmouth where centre Asaeli Tikoirotuma raced through to grab the favourable bounce to score between the posts.

Tyrell's conversion gave Wanganui a 14-13 lead and in the 61st minute he landed another penalty goal.

But it was his 63rd minute break which did the most damage to Mid Canterbury's hopes as he found the space and fed Ulukuta across for the easiest of tries. And in the 71st minute Mason added a dropped goal to put the issue beyond doubt.

Replacement forward Vance Pareka had a memorable arrival on the field, scoring a try within moments of getting on, after an initial break by lock Jon Smyth which was supported by fullback Fraser Middleton who slipped the ball to Pareka in the tackle.


Scorers: Mid Canterbury 13 (Richard Fridd try; Kieran Lindsay con, 2 pen) Wanganui 34 (Fraser Hammond, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Lasa Ulukuta, Vance Pareka tries; Denning Tyrell 4 con, pen; Leon Mason dropped goal)
HT: 13-0