Buller scores bonus point win over East Coast
For Buller, the win was an ideal way to celebrate flanker Luke Brownlee’s 150th consecutive match for Buller and, as always, he turned in an outstanding performance in a pack which out-muscled the much heavier East Coast forwards. Buller was totally dominant in the set pieces, with Logan Mundy outstanding.
During the match a number of the East Coast team had to be re-shuffled due to injury and Brent Ingram played a totally committed game.
Buller coach Craig Scanlon was more than happy with his team’s bonus point win. He praised his team’s defensive effort in the first half when pinned in their own territory for so long and felt that this sucked the heart out of East Coast who were perhaps a little disheartened by their inability to turn possession into points and who were found wanting for fitness as Buller piled on the pressure in the second half.
He felt the key factor was a dominant forward performance and that Buller’s tactical approach to thr match played dividends.
East Coast manager Gary Harding said his team knew they were in for a torrid struggle against a team which was notoriously difficult to beat on their home ground but praised his players for keeping going in a hard running game of open rugby. He felt that Everard Reid and Brent Ingram were the outstanding players for his side, especially when they had to switch positions due to injury.
– By Norman Crawshaw
Buller 28 (Scott Neighbours, Pene Nabainavalu, William Saukuru, Mike Leava’a tries; Jesse Elley 2 pens, con)
East Coast 12 (Te Rangi Fraser, Ricky Waitoa tries; Sikeli Vorenasu con). HT: 5-7.