Central North Rugby Round 12: Pirates rebound with 29-22 win over competition leaders

Looking to rebound from their shock loss to Scone the previous round, when Wright scooped up the ball from the back of the ruck early in the second half and strolled over for his third for the day Pirates appeared to be in control. They had the momentum and a 22-3 lead.

But after blowing several opportunities throughout the game, the Blue Boars finally managed to finish one, Mitch Wheaton crashing over from a penalty quick tap after what was arguably their best passage of play.

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When fullback Jydon Hill then weaved his way to the line from a scrum after they had been ruled held up, and Alex Pay added the extras, Pirates' seemingly comfortable lead had been whittled back to just five points with 10 minutes to play, and it was game on.

But the home side showed their mettle. After finally getting some good territory, they showed good patience to work the ball through the phases and for the overlap, and Wright slipped through to take his tally to four.

The Blue Boars did have the final say courtesy of a strong charge from Matt McDonnell but the whistle sounded seconds later as Pirates avenged for their first round loss 29-22.

Post-match skipper Bart Leach said it was a "massive" result for the side.

"Our last home game here against Walcha was a real boost for us, we played really well, probably the best we've played all year.

"And then to have such an abysmal game last weekend against Scone - we were terrible, Scone were good - to be able to regroup after that and come back with a good game this weekend was good," he said.

"I wasn't so concerned whether we won or lost, it was more about building again."

Lacking that hunger against the Brumbies, it was there from the opening whistle on Saturday, Tony O'Connor burrowing over after sustained pressure for much of the first five minutes.

"The loss last weekend was probably the best thing for us really, it just gave us a kick up the backside," Leach said.

"We're all very similar teams in skill level I think, it's all about enthusiasm and attitude when you get out there against some of these teams."

He said he wasn't really worried when the Blue Boars got back within five, even though they seemed to have the momentum. He backed their defence to stand up.

Pirates led 10-nil at half-time after Wright finished off some great play to cross for his first with about five minutes remaining. The whistle had barely blown in the second half when he had his second, steaming onto an offload from Leach after another error from the Blue Boars inside their 22.

It was incidents like that that had Blue Boars coach Hunter Harley fuming. He labelled the first half the worst "40 minutes of football" he's ever seen from them.

They constantly turned over ball, knocked on over the line and were outenthused.

The second half was better but still not up to the standard Harley expected.

"We were still not even urgent in the second half, it was only that Pirates started running out of a bit of puff," he said.

Despite the loss they remain on top of the table, although the buffer is now only two points.

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