Squad rotation proves costly for the All Blacks (From Bournemouth Echo)

Squad rotation proves costly for the All Blacks

7:00am Wednesday 20th February 2013 in Rugby By Echo Reporter

SQUAD rotation ahead of this weekend’s South West Cup final at St Austell cost Wimborne as they were beaten 27-12 at Trowbridge in Southern Counties South.

The All Blacks were under pressure from the off and spent the first half-an-hour defending in numbers.

The hosts, though, were unable to convert their possession, suffering two penalty misses. The Dorset side took advantage when moving into the lead thanks to Ben Hunt.

The impressive Jim Broken-shire made good ground and, after the ball had been recycled well, Hunt dived over following good work from Matt Warwick.

Matt Lishman converted to hand the All Blacks an 7-0 advantage.

The Leigh Parkers continued to threaten having been buoyed by their lead, but Trowbridge narrowed the gap with a penalty to give the visitors much to ponder during the half-time break.

The second half started badly when Marcus Atkins was sin-binned for an offence at a ruck and Trowbridge made |their numerical advantage count when driving over from a five-metre scrum for an unconverted try.

Five minutes later, the hosts’ pack drove over again and the try was converted and, although some telling runs from Tom Brown helped Wimborne keep their share of possession, a further converted try from the home side gave them a mountain to climb late on.

A try from Brown, though, was disallowed before some slick handling let in John Blackmore for a try, which remained unconverted.

But despite that late flurry from the visitors, Trowbridge sealed the bonus point with a late touch down in the corner.

All Blacks: Folkard, R Brokenshire, Tinsdale, Day, Warwick, Hunt, Atkins, Best, Lishman, Hamer, J Brokenshire, Brown, Blackmore, Moriarty, Maltman, Valle, Roberts, St Barbe.