Shute Shield Rugby Union: Deja vu as Wildfires fall to dogged Southern Districts

The Wildfires were out-worked and out-played 26-19 by a desperate Southern Districts at No.2 Sportsground on Saturday night.

It was the Wildfires' second loss and first at home in eight rounds. They lead the competition on 32 points, two ahead of Gordon, whom they meet at Chatswood Oval next round.

The corresponding game last year was a similar result. Southern Districts were bottom of the table and upset the Wildfires 31-24. Ultimately, that defeat cost the Wildfires a place in the finals.

"We talked about it all week," Coleman said. "Same thing happened last year. They wanted it more and we didn't make our tackles. They ran harder, tackled harder ... it goes back to the basics."

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The Wildfires made more mistakes in one game, than they had all season. Some were head shakers.

"Nick Murray launched a box kick into the back of Rob Puli'uvea, Andrew Tuala and Phil Bradford were pinged for crooked lineout throws, Connor Winchester missed a simple conversion, they missed one-on-on tackles ... the list goes on.

"Souths wanted it more than us," Coleman said. "We made too many mistakes. Our kicking game was poor and our tackling was atrocious.

The Wildfires started on the front foot. They buckled Southern Districts at the first scrum and earned a penalty. Winchester kicked to the sideline. The visitors defended the maul, but two phases later, Winchester dived over on the short side.

It was almost too easy.

However, the Rebels refused to roll over. Breakaway Archie Hosking burrowed over after sustained pressure on the Wildfires' line to level at 7-all after 22 minutes.

The Wildfires dominated the set piece and were awarded a penalty try from a scrum to make it 14-7.

Again the Rebels found a way back. Winchester had a kicked charged down. Five phases later fly-half Cooper Hansen spun out of a tackle and dived over for 14-all.

"At half-time, we spoke about playing more direct and being clinical with our kicking game," Coleman said.

But it was the visitor's who found another gear. Winger Maui Wallace crossed after a bust up the middle from skipper Phil Potgieter to go ahead 19-14.

The Wildlires finally had joy from a rolling maul in the 60^th minute when Tuala crashed over to square the ledger at 19-all.

The further the half progressed, the more mistakes the Wildfires made.

Fullback Isaac Kneepers made them pay when he reached out after bustling work for the pack. Hansen converted from the sideline for 26-19.

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