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VB NSW Cup rd #14 report - Auckland Vulcans vs. Windsor Wolves:
By Stewart Moses
The Vulcans combined brute strength with an impressive ability to control possession for significant periods of the game to run out 20-14 winners over a gall...ant Windsor Wolves on a cool winter’s evening at Windsor Sporting Complex.
Windsor promoted Holden Cup fullback Kieran Moss to replace Matt Moylan, while Jeremy Latimore made a welcome return from injury to start in the front row for the Wolf Pack.
The Vulcans fully capitalised on a penalty conceded by Eto Nabuli when a shift to the left resulted in winger Tangi Ropati scoring in the corner from close range in the 15 minute to lead 4-0.
The Vulcans began to flex their muscle thereafter & attacked with Sam Lousi down Windsor’s left edge at every opportunity & it was only a Moss intercept close to his try line that prevented the giant back rower from setting up their second try.
The Wolves were dealt a double blow on a half hour mark when first Nathan Smith then Kyle O’Donnell who only came on the field minutes earlier, were forced from the field with leg injuries.
Despite the setbacks, the Wolves finished the first half the stronger, earning repeat sets which led to hooker Daniel Foster darting through the line from dummy half to score underneath the posts & with the conversion by Luke Capewell, gave the Wolves an unlikely 6-4 lead at halftime.
The second half could not have started any worse for the Wolf Pack when a great kick / chase effort by the Vulcans led to Moss making an error on the kick retrieval, close to his try line.
From the ensuing scrum, experienced centre Jerome Ropati provided a great inside ball for fullback Steve Weatford to crash over out wide to regain the lead 8-6 after 43 minutes.
The Vulcans dominated possession over the next 10 minutes with a plethora of repeat sets, and that wave of possession eventually told in the 48th minute when interchange prop Nathaniel Peteru stormed over under the posts from close range & with the Godinet conversion, suddenly led 14-6.
Vulcans prop Suaia Matagi was put on report in the 56th minute and upon resumption of play, a Luke Capewell line-break saw Bryce Cartwright backing up to score to the left of the posts but Cartwright missed the relatively easy conversion to leave the Wolf Pack trailing 14-10.
The Wolves scored back to back tries when Geoff Daniela capitalised on a rare Windsor penalty to score out wide to level the match 14-14 in the 61st minute.
Daniel Foster & debutant Toby Evans were placed on report in the 65th minute and from the ensuing penalty the Vulcans created the overlap down Windsor’s left side only for the pass from Lousi to go astray with the try line wide open.
The game turned on its head in the 70th minute when a penalty was awarded against the Wolves 10m out right in front, from which Godinet kicked the goal to put the Vulcans back in front once more.
The Vulcans gained ascendancy from this point & their ability to build pressure through repeat sets was telling in the end as five eighth Carlos Tuimavave scores from close range to seal the game 20-14.
By Stewart Moses
The Vulcans combined brute strength with an impressive ability to control possession for significant periods of the game to run out 20-14 winners over a gall...ant Windsor Wolves on a cool winter’s evening at Windsor Sporting Complex.
Windsor promoted Holden Cup fullback Kieran Moss to replace Matt Moylan, while Jeremy Latimore made a welcome return from injury to start in the front row for the Wolf Pack.
The Vulcans fully capitalised on a penalty conceded by Eto Nabuli when a shift to the left resulted in winger Tangi Ropati scoring in the corner from close range in the 15 minute to lead 4-0.
The Vulcans began to flex their muscle thereafter & attacked with Sam Lousi down Windsor’s left edge at every opportunity & it was only a Moss intercept close to his try line that prevented the giant back rower from setting up their second try.
The Wolves were dealt a double blow on a half hour mark when first Nathan Smith then Kyle O’Donnell who only came on the field minutes earlier, were forced from the field with leg injuries.
Despite the setbacks, the Wolves finished the first half the stronger, earning repeat sets which led to hooker Daniel Foster darting through the line from dummy half to score underneath the posts & with the conversion by Luke Capewell, gave the Wolves an unlikely 6-4 lead at halftime.
The second half could not have started any worse for the Wolf Pack when a great kick / chase effort by the Vulcans led to Moss making an error on the kick retrieval, close to his try line.
From the ensuing scrum, experienced centre Jerome Ropati provided a great inside ball for fullback Steve Weatford to crash over out wide to regain the lead 8-6 after 43 minutes.
The Vulcans dominated possession over the next 10 minutes with a plethora of repeat sets, and that wave of possession eventually told in the 48th minute when interchange prop Nathaniel Peteru stormed over under the posts from close range & with the Godinet conversion, suddenly led 14-6.
Vulcans prop Suaia Matagi was put on report in the 56th minute and upon resumption of play, a Luke Capewell line-break saw Bryce Cartwright backing up to score to the left of the posts but Cartwright missed the relatively easy conversion to leave the Wolf Pack trailing 14-10.
The Wolves scored back to back tries when Geoff Daniela capitalised on a rare Windsor penalty to score out wide to level the match 14-14 in the 61st minute.
Daniel Foster & debutant Toby Evans were placed on report in the 65th minute and from the ensuing penalty the Vulcans created the overlap down Windsor’s left side only for the pass from Lousi to go astray with the try line wide open.
The game turned on its head in the 70th minute when a penalty was awarded against the Wolves 10m out right in front, from which Godinet kicked the goal to put the Vulcans back in front once more.
The Vulcans gained ascendancy from this point & their ability to build pressure through repeat sets was telling in the end as five eighth Carlos Tuimavave scores from close range to seal the game 20-14.
