Buller Rugby News
Buller Retain Rundle Cup
Electro Services Buller has held off a spirited challenge from West Coast to retain the Rundle Cup 21-15 at Victoria Square on Saturday. The Rundle Cup holds huge significance between these two sides with this year marking the 100th year anniversary since the Cup was first played for in 1911. Ironically Buller’s winning margin of 6 points on Saturday was the same as 1911 when Buller defeated West Coast 16-10 in Westport. Only Southland and Otago have played more games against each other in New Zealand domestic rugby than these two proud unions.
Buller began the match strongly and raced out to an 8-0 lead off the back of an Andrew Stephens penalty goal and a try to the evergreen Phil Beveridge. Beveridge, or as he is well known, ‘bulldozer’, found himself unmarked down a short blind side after Buller had held a sustained period on attack. West Coast certainly weren’t going to let Buller have it all their own way and found themselves on the scoreboard through a try to James Ward. When young five-eight Corey Deans converted all of a sudden it was just a one point game. Buller was the next to strike however as a deft pass from centre William Saukuru and an incisive running line from flanker Shane Grieve extended the Buller lead. Grieve was handed the Saukuru ball from 40 metres out and his pace and agile footwork enabled him to break the line and beat the last defender to score handy to the posts. Stephens converted to give the Buller side an 8 point buffer. It what were tough overhead conditions for both sides, a fourth try was scored before the break, this time, an excellent 80 metre effort from West Coast. When a Buller clearing kick failed to find touch, West Coast mounted an attacking raid down the broadcast touchline in which the ball was passed through 6 sets of hands before halfback Gareth Little scored. This would be the final scoring act of the first half as both teams went to the sheds with Buller holding a slight 15-12 lead.
Both teams entered the field for the second half as the heavens began to open at Victoria Square. With possession vital in the wet conditions, both teams were at times guilty of handing possession over too easily however both teams were unable to capitalise on these errors. Buller was able to extend their lead to 9 points through the boot of Stephens and Phil Gibson who both kicked penalties. At 21-12 with 60 minutes completed Buller looked as though they might be able to seal the win however West Coast refused to lie down and when they kicked their first penalty goal with 10 minutes remaining they were within a converted try of the lead. In what was a physical and dour struggle for both sides, try scoring became tough to come by in the second half. Buller were able to control much of the territory through the educated boot of Gibson and in doing so were able to deny the visitors a chance of a come-from-behind victory.
For West Coast, their season has now come to an end however they will be pleased with the courage and fight their side showed despite having a number of players out. Buller will now look forward to hosting a semi-final in the Lochore Cup after they finished pool play as top qualifiers of this division. They will play Poverty Bay in a rematch of their Round 1 clash earlier in the season.
