Friday Game 1 – Mixed Open: New Zealand –v- Australia
Emotion….you could feel it as soon as the national anthems started. We could tell that both teams were going to give it their all in this first of three test series.
Australia won the tap off but you would have thought they won more than that as the next 90 seconds silenced the NZ supporters. Australia was on fire scoring two very quick touchdowns from long balls to the wingers. NZ could not afford to let another touchdown in or this was going to be a very long night for the home team. Debutant, Grant Robinson was ready to stand up and received a touchdown by supporting play maker Pieter Vis. 2-1 Australia. This seemed to not phase, the very drilled and balanced, Australian team were ready to show some talent in the next ten minutes. Veteran, Ryan Pollock showed class to score with a ‘follow’ play on the 5 metre line to catch out a sleepy NZ middle defender. Long balls to the wing seemed to be the call from the Australians as they run in three more touchdowns. Sarah Spacie needs to buy a lotto ticket as she collected all three touchdowns on the left hand wing. 6-1 Australia. The shell-shocked NZ team were riddled with uncharacteristic basic errors and disorganisation in their substituting. Even though Australia owned this half, NZ managed to score in the corner with Toia Tiwha managing to hold onto the ball while rolling over the line. Half-time score 6-2.
NZ seemed to get their act together and give the crowd what they wanted in the second half with a touch down to No: 2 Jordan Rogers-Rhind and No: 8 Cody Walker. This took the score to 6-4 Australia.
Sarah Spacie answered with her 4th touchdown from a long ball from Ben Moylan taking the score 7 – 4.
NZ replied with hard yards to get them to the 5 metre line, eventually getting through the strong Australian defence with Mercedes Burnside receiving a long ball to take the score to 7 – 5.
We now have a game on our hands with 6 mins to go!
NZ found an inner strength to push the Australian’s to the limit, but the Australians answered with overwhelming defensive skills. The last 3 minutes of the game were the most exciting. A long ball by Peter Vis to Lorelei Nathan put the crowd on their feet with 2 minutes to go 7 – 6 Aus. Australia managed to put the nail in the coffin with Melissa Pitfield receiving a long ball to close the game at 8 – 6 Australia.
Not quite the start NZ was after, but the Australian team had done their homework. This seemed to be a game of the ‘long balls’ for Australia which NZ’s defence could not adapt to. Long ball throwers Tony Eltakchi and Ben Moylan ruled this test match.
To win tomorrow NZ will need a better start and to reassess their defence.
Last Modified on 22/01/2010 19:18