Click photo to enlarge
Otago Country players and management celebrate retaining
the Triangular Trophy following their 50-3 win against
Canterbury Country at the Queenstown Recreation Ground on
Saturday. Photo by Felicity Wolfe.
Otago Country scored eight tries to thrash Canterbury
Country and retain the Triangular Trophy at the Queenstown
Recreation Ground on Saturday.
A week after thumping Southland Country 74-30, Otago started
hesitantly and did not score until 13 minutes before
half-time.
Centre Lex Kaleca punched through the defence on halfway and
off-loaded to No 8 Shaun Tauti, who scored next to the
uprights.
Canterbury Country's Brook Rettallick kicked a penalty to
narrow the gap, but Otago immediately replied when Matt
Faddes made a good break and Charlie Hore scored under the
posts.
The final try in the first half followed another blockbusting
run from Tauti, who handed the ball on to Kaleca to score.
Canterbury Country threatened to get back into the match with
some early breaks out wide but lacked the skills to finish.
Junior Maiono showed how to do it when he sprinted 30m to
score a fine individual try for Otago Country.
Faddes then helped create a try for Aidan Winter, before
Reece Winter entered the game off the bench and scored twice.
The greatest cheer came after reserve halfback Jai Baxter
scored on full-time.
Hore stepped aside to allow prop Blair Young to take the
conversion.
Otago Country openside flanker Aidan Winter was in dynamic
form, his turnover ball vital to a team starved of territory
and possession in patches.
Schoolboy fullback Faddes proved his worth, and Young led the
forwards well.
