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NZ unbeaten in pool play
Saturday, July 12th, 2008
New Zealand qualifies for the World Cup semi-finals with a clean sweep of pool games. A brace of tries by the New Zealand utility Emmanuel Toka helped his side to a 32-10 win over Ireland to finish unbeaten at the end of pool play of the Universities Rugby League World Cup at Pizzey Park on the Australian Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon.A 21 year-old history and Maori studies major from Waikato University, Toka opened the scoring for New Zealand with a try and later also had the final scoring say for his country with a four-pointer with two minutes of play remaining after he had gone from second-row to centre to right wing during the game.
New Zealand scored six tries to two during the game and while it was an improved effort compared to the wins over France and Wales earlier in the week, it was still a far from perfect performance as some needless penalties allowed Ireland into regaining territory inside their opposition half.
New Zealand coach Trevor McLeod believed the ‘ugly performance’ shown in the first performance was caused as a result of the unnecessary penalties and unforced errors that also came from the Irish defence.
“They were able to get away with blue murder a lot of the time by not being caught offside which effectively meant we could not able to quickly get out the ball out wide as we would have liked and send players into space,” he said.
After being down five to one on the penalty count and having to deal with some good Irish sets of six tackles, Toka opened the scoring in the game after his standoff Roy Leoni had made a pinpoint accurate cross kick that allowed his team-mate to successfully leap up and grab the ball before it fell into any opposition hands.
Ireland like France and Wales before them however came back almost straight away with a reply try with ten minutes to go until halftime, before New Zealand bounced back again when its big second-row Kererua Savage had made a huge run in his first hit up of the game before passing to his debutant scrumhalf James Roughan, who ran the remaining 20 metres to the line unmarked.
New Zealand and Canterbury University fullback Scott Hurrell gained his second successful conversion to send New Zealand 12-4 up at halftime.
New Zealand carried on early in the second half where he had earlier off when its wing Rema Smith went over the line in just the second minute of the second spell following on a chip kick from scrumhalf Pose Manu that was regathered and flicked back by second-row Anthony Mataroa.
A try to New Zealand second-row Paul Atkins from a smart chip kick near the start of the final quarter along with a touch-down to prop Laupepa Pasene five minutes from fulltime continued to give the academics in black further ascendancy.
One of the best tries of the game was saved towards the end when a big surging 30m run from the nippy Otago University fullback Tasi Cordtz down the sideline ended up in a pass back in field towards Toka, who then ran the remaining 10m to the line unmarked.
Ireland had the final say of the game with a consolation converted try to its second-row Paddy Barcoe right on fulltime.
New Zealand captain and loose forward Daniel McGregor said that while he was pleased his side came away with a win, he still had concerns at the amount of small mistakes his side was continuing to make.
“We again showed some great defence during the game, but once again we could not quite get the offence going at times,” he said.
McLeod said his second-row Savage showed a huge work ethic during the game with some fine go forward play that gave inspiration for others to aspire to such as Mataroa who was returning from an injury suffered in the French game a week earlier.
The other remaining pool game in pool B resulted in Wales gaining its first World Cup semi-final spot since 1992 with a huge 42-6 win over France after only being 14-6 ahead at halftime.
New Zealand 32 (Emmanuel Toka 2, Paul Atkins, Laupepa Pasene, Rema Smith, James Raughan tries; Scott Hurrell 4 goals), Wales 10 (Bernard Westman, Paddy Barcoe tries; Greg Mannkion goal). Halftime: New Zealand 12-4.
For further information please contact the New Zealand media liaison officer Carey Clements on 0064 4 1586 4270.
(Press release - NZU Rugby League Council)
