Rare break: Wakatipu's Tom Ria on the charge last Saturday. PICTURE: JAMES ALLAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Wakatipu Premiers started their rugby season last Saturday with a shock loss, while Arrowtown suffered a less surprising loss, however their coaches are taking positives out of the situation.

Wakatipu, last year’s Central Otago champs, were beaten 11-10 by last year’s seventh-placed Alexandra, whom they beat 61-19 in the corresponding home fixture last year.

Acting coach Tom Kelly says he can’t take anything away from Alex — ‘‘I would not be surprised if they upset a few more teams’’.

However, he maintains ‘‘we were probably our own worst enemy’’.

‘‘We did enough work in tight to create some space but then we threw a bad ball or lost it in the tackle — but it’s fixable.’’

Kelly says the other problem is, counting their two pre-season games, they’ve effectively fielded three different teams — ‘‘we were trying to give everybody a bit of a run’’.

He adds this was fortunately just the first game in a long season.

Wakatipu have a bye this weekend, then break for Easter, before hosting derby rival Arrowtown on April 15.

Meantime, Arrowtown — missing about 15 players from last season — lost 34-12 away to Cromwell, last year’s runners-up.

Coach Simon Harper praises his side for hanging in for so long — at least for the first 50 minutes.

‘‘We were staying with them, but were definitely not helping ourselves — that comes from being a bit rusty, having only one pre-season game, and a lot of young guys playing their first ever game of senior rugby.’’

However, he says he can’t fault his players’ attitude and effort.

Unfortunately, Arrowtown lost six players to injury in the second half, including four backs, two of them halfbacks, when they’d only picked two reserve backs.

As a result, the club’s rallying around to find some recent ex-players they can field for their home game against Matakanui Combined this afternoon.

‘‘But I’m pretty confident we’ll get a team out there and we’ll do well,’’ Harper says.

Kick-off’s 2.30pm at Jack Reid Park.

Coach steps on gas during bye week

PICTURE: MIKE SMITH

Acting Wakatipu rugby coach Tom Kelly — standing in for Brett Anderson who’s recovering from his second hip replacement — can count himself lucky the team has a bye this Saturday.

Kelly, pictured on the Upper Waiau, is competing in the Otago Rivers Jet Boat Race running on Glenorchy’s Dart River today and Wānaka’s Matukituki tomorrow.

An experienced jetboater, Kelly’s the only local competitor — some others are conserving their gear for the world jetboat marathon which is being held in the South Island, including on the Kawarau and Dart rivers, from October 14 to 22.

He’s again driving an unlimited-class boat with a helicopter turbine 1400 horsepower motor that he’ll also use at the worlds.

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