Cobar Camels get a reality check from Warren Pumas

Cobar Rugby Union Camels received a reality check against Warren Pumas on Saturday at the Ailsa Fitzsimmons Memorial Oval when they were outplayed by a youthful, fit and well drilled side.

Once again Cobar found itself with a different side to the one which played the previous week.

Tafu Tafu (aka big “T”) had his first game this year at loose head prop joining this week’s tight head prop, Waisea Kaliseiwaqa Bale, who was one of last week’s centres. Adam Hill, who has played for the Camels over the past few years, returned to a centre position.

The Camels boasted a new winger in Kayden Porter; Travis Schintler was in as a replacement winger and substitute lineout man; and Steve Gillette took Al Ewan’s position at hooker.

Cobar hit the lead first. Fijian centre, Vetaia Saqasere, slipped the ball to open side flanker taia to regain the ball and score. Skipper Kody Martin failed to convert. 5 – 0 to Camels.

Warren soon replied. A skinny Puma with a bit of pace squeezed his way between two big Cobar forwards who appeared to have hold of him and inexplicably made it to the try line some 25 metres away. 5 – all.

Warren mounted another attack, backing each other up, eventually having too many numbers for Cobar and they scored under the goal posts. 12 – 5 Warren.

Hooker Steve Gillette was doing what he does well, working hard in the tight stuff, when a contentious line-ball decision by the referee forced busy five-eighth Will Peckham to take 10 minutes in the sin bin. (Peckham slipped and his knee accidentally brushed a Warren player on the ground, a scenario which the referee did not adjudge quite like that and dispatched him to the naughty chair.)

The rain provided no relief to the Camels as half. Finally, Marika Tuilau decided to cut loose, went for a gallop, chipped the ball over the defensive line and was decked with a high tackle for which the Warren assailant copped 10 minutes in the bin.

Marika’s decking livened his team mates right up. From the ensuing penalty, Camel captain Martin slipped the ball to Peckham who cut out the Warren defence with a 20metre pass to Schintler who scored out wide.

With Warren only just in front 12-10, the Pumas immediately hit back with another wellengineered try. 17 – 10 to Warren at half-time.

A positive for Cobar in the first half was their defence. Warren certainly gave them plenty of tackling practice with their back-up, back-up style of play. Porter on the wing made a promising break but failed to see Marika looming in support inside. Big “T” maintained a strong performance and with Jayden Harvey on the field and a sustained attack by the big men up the centre against the smaller Warren forwards may have paid dividends.

From a penalty, Warren took a quick tap. Peckham made a try saving tackle but, with the defence beaten, the halfback for Warren scored a converted try to lead 24-10. Shortly after, the consistent and well-balanced Warren team scored another try to lead 29-10.

Jacob Ryan, along with Mitch Dunne, took the ball up to the Pumas repeatedly and tackled themselves to a standstill. Harvey consistently broke the defensive line and was well supported by Peckham, the “everywhere man”.

Down the track better communication between Harvey and Marika must certainly precipitate an avalanche of try scoring opportunities and while, Marika has been the Camels’ strike weapon, they should not always wait for some Marika magic.

He was well marked on Saturday and failed to score a single point, however the fullback saved any number of tries with his crushing defence.

It was obvious that Cobar had more individual ability than Warren, but Warren showed that individuality and flashy play will not overcome a team that trains together and plays together. Peter Payne