Auckland rise to the top ... finally
NPC WRAP: All Black Patrick Tuipulotu has overcome a string of career frustrations to score a hat-trick for Auckland en route to a table-topping 36–10 win over Tasman at Eden Park on Friday.
Showing a hunger that has been lacking for more seasons than Auckland fans care to remember, the home side ended Tasman’s unbeaten run by applying rare pressure, especially at the breakdown, which unsettled them in securing a bonus point win.
That pressure was never more evident than in the 36th minute try scored by wing Melani Nanai.
Making a routine chase from a kick deep into Tasman’s 22-metre area, Nanai could scarcely believe his luck when covering defender, flyhalf Mitchell Hunt looked to have everything covered, only to get his feet in the wrong position, and nudge the ball over the goalline where all Nanai had to do was drop on the ball.
It would have been recoverable in a close game, but it took Auckland out to a 22-6 lead.
Worse was to follow after the half-time hooter had sounded when Auckland rushed into the 22-metre area again and with a series of surges at the line, No.8 Akira Ioane played halfback and passed to Tuipulotu, standing off on the blindside of the ruck, to cross for his third try.
* In the other Friday match Otago made it two wins in a row and leapt to second place on the Championship ladder with a hard-fought 27-23 win over Northland at Forsyth-Barr Stadium.
It was a crunch clash for both teams, with the winner set to move to second in the Championship and the loser dropping out of the top four.
Friday’s scores and scorers
Otago 27-23 Northland
Scorers:
For Otago:
Tries: Dylan Nel, Jona Nareki, Joketani Koroi
Cons: Josh Ioane 3
Pens: Ioane 2
For Northland:
Tries: Tamati Tua, Jack Debreczeni
Cons: Debreczeni 2
Pens: Debreczeni 3
Auckland 36-10 Tasman
Scorers:
For Auckland
Tries: Patrick Tuipulotu 3, Melani Nanai, Akira Ioane
Cons: Harry Plummer 4
Pen: Plummer
For Tasman
Try: Ethan Blackadder
Con: Mitchell Hunt
Pen: Hunt
Source: @Mitre10Cup
