Otago thrashes Bulls 65-23
Posted: Saturday March 06, 1999 02:17 PM
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Bulls' Dale Santon tries to power past two Otago defenders in the Highlanders' win. AP |
INVERCARGILL, New Zealand (AP) -- Otago Highlanders scrumhalf
Byron Kelleher emerged as a strong challenger for the All Blacks'
No. 9 position this season with another outstanding performance in
Super 12 competition Saturday.
Kelleher scored two of the Highlanders' nine tries as they
trounced South African side Bulls 65-23. Both teams earned a bonus
point each for scoring four or more tries.
The Taine Randell-led Highlanders simply outclassed the South
Africans all over the field and Kelleher, a top performer for the
team in last week's win over the Auckland Blues, was again in top
form.
His strong backup play allowed him a try from wide out after
tighthead Kees Meeuws started the initial burst upfield.
For the second consecutive week Kelleher displayed his sharp
passing, ability to punch holes through tight defenses around the
ruck and maul, an eye for the gaps and backup play. He acted well
as an extra loose forward when required.
Kelleher's good form comes at a time when test incumbent Justin
Marshall seems to be struggling to regain the form that won him the
test jersey before his Achilles tendon injury early last season.
Highlanders center Jeremy Stanley, another player who is staking
an early claim for an All Blacks jersey, scored two tries as well
in an Otago backline full of pace and class.
The powerful Otago all-round performance was perhaps best
illustrated by the driving tries scored by flanker Kelvin
Middleton, replacement loose forward Isitolo Maka and hardworking
second rower Brendan Timmins and those scored through pace and
skills by winger Romi Ropati, Stanley and Wilson.
Despite trailing by a substantial margin, 27-3 at halftime, the
Bulls showed spirit in scoring four tries in the second half to
take a bonus point.
Powerful prop Wium Basson got across the line twice and his
backline tried but were outplayed.
"We've never made so many mistakes as we did today," Bulls
captain Schutte Bekker said. "We've got to go back to the basics
and restart our campaign again after this game."
Scorers: Otago Highlanders 65 (Byron Kelleher 2, Jeremy Stanley
2, Kelvin Middleton, Jeff Wilson, Isitolo Maka, Romi Ropati,
Brendan Timmins tries; Tony Bown 2 penalties, 7 conversions) def.
Bulls 23 (Wium Basson 2, Jan-Harm van Wyk, Stanley Raubenheimer
tries; Franco Smith penalty).
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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