Waikato book home semis
NPC SATURDAY WRAP: An impressive 71-28 win against Northland has just about booked Waikato a home Championship semifinal, while the Taniwha are also into the semis courtesy of a tryscoring bonus point.
In very warm conditions in the north, the Mooloos continued their irrepressible form, running in no less than 11 tries for their sixth straight victory and giving every impression that their stay in the Championship will be a short one.
Elswhere, North Harbour is keeping the pressure on Wellington for the fourth Premiership semifinal berth following a 36-26 victory over Counties Manukau in Albany.
The Harbour scrum, one of its strengths all season, was solid as the proverbial rock, and the home side used it to launch attacks to good effect. But Harbour was not able to fully shake a tenacious Steelers outfit, who picked up one bonus point, which might be vital in the battle to avoid relegation.
While Canterbury, spearheaded by long-time campaigner Luke Romano in the pack and up and coming centre Braydon Ennor in the back, took an often niggly NPC 41-7 win over Taranaki in Christchurch on Saturday.
Northland 28-71 Waikato
Captain Dwayne Sweeney was a late scratching, but Waikato did not miss a beat. Within the first minute, centre Bailyn Sullivan had crossed for a try off a superb piece of skill by fullback Matty Lansdown.
Rene Ranger hit back for Northland from a Renata Roberts-Tenana break, but that was the Taniwha’s only first half joy.
Sullivan nailed his second try, again off a Lansdown last pass, and his midfield combination with Quinn Tupaea looks like one for Waikato’s future, if not here and now.
A long Tyler Campbell pass sent Sevu Reece over for the first of his double, which now takes him to eight for 2018.
Waikato No.10 Fletcher Smith showed some classy touches, using his left (supposedly weaker) boot to good effect on one occasion and finishing smartly for his try.
Tupaea scored the first of his brace, hitting a nice hole and finishing in style.
James Tucker was industrious in the No 6 jersey and he scored a try through some soft defence on the stroke of halftime, by which stage the visitors led 38-7, causing pain to such local luminaries as Sid Going and Richie Guy.
Tupaea’s second try was an 80m intercept try. Then followed a Raniera Takarangi try, emanating from 60m, a penalty try, reflective of a dominant Waikato scrum, Reece’s second off yet another intercept and finally Pepesana Patafilo’s try.
Northland did not throw in the towel and pushed hard to secure the tryscoring bonus point that would guarantee semifinals footy. That was duly achieved, via an opportunist try by Roberts-Tenana, a long-range Sam Nock score and ultimately by Aorangi Stokes from a quick tap.
Many of the good crowd at Northland Events Centre would have been disappointed at the result but could not complain about the free-flowing rugby, with 15 tries in all.
The Taniwha will close out the regular season in Tauranga against Bay Plenty next Saturday afternoon, while the Mooloos will prepare for a Ranfurly Shield defence against Otago in the early Saturday evening match on October 13.
The Scorers:
For Waikato
Tries: Bailyn Sullivan 2, Sevu Reece 2, Quinn Tupaea 2, Fletcher Smith, James Tucker, Raniera Takarangi, Pepesana Patafilo, penalty try;
Cons: Fletcher Smith 7
For Northland:
Tries: Rene Ranger, Renata Roberts-Tenana, Sam Nock, Aorangi Stokes
Cons: Jack Debreczeni 4
North Harbour 36-26 Counties Manukau
North Harbour is now on 29 points alongside Wellington and, while Harbour has had one more win (six) than Wellington (five), any tiebreaker will go in favour of the Lions as they won the regular season game between the two teams.
James Parsons’ men made a bright start and second five Harrison Groundwater scored the first try with a determined run that beat two would-be tacklers.
The Steelers found themselves pinned in their own half, but then uncorked a try from Cardiff Vaega. Toni Pulu made a thrust after off the top lineout ball and then wing Tevita Nabura scored, on his back, after joining the lineout, winning the ball and forming the centre of the maul. Maul defence was an area that Parsons identified after the game as needing work.
However, the Steelers’ scrum issues cost them when referee James Munro awarded a penalty try to the home side. He did also award a penalty try to the Steelers in the second stanza after a drive over the line.
Harbour struck twice early in the second half when a long pass by Bryn Hall put centre Daniel Hilton-Jones over for the try, and then fullback Shaun Stevenson finished a patient build-up. Harbour was 29-12 to the good.
A try to Fotu Lokotui and the penalty try to the Steelers bookended Dillon Hunt’s five-pointer from another strong Harbour scrum.
There was time for a North Harbour debut for Nick Smith, out of the Northcote club, who replaced Bryn Gatland at first five for the final throes. Wing Tevita Li was almost in for his 11th try of the season, but the final transfer from Stevenson was deemed forward.
North Harbour will close its season with the Battle of the Bridge at Eden Park on Sunday week, while Counties Manukau will host Canterbury on Saturday night.
The Scorers:
For North Harbour
Tries: Harrison Groundwater, Daniel Hilton-Jones, Shaun Stevenson, Dillon Hunt tries, penalty try;
Cons: Bryn Gatland 3
Pen: Bryn Gatland
For Counties Manukau
Tries: Cardiff Vaega, Tevita Nabura, Fotu Lokotui tries, penalty try;
Cons: Latiume Fosita 2
Canterbury 41-7 Taranaki
A fifth-minute red card issued by referee James Doleman, who had a busy night, to Taranaki lock Jarrad Hoeata for a punch to Canterbury flanker Tom Christie’s head in an elongated scuffle marred the game.
Canterbury didn’t escape unscathed and also lost replacement prop Daniel Lienert-Brown for a head butt on Taranaki hooker Ricky Riccitelli in the 53rd minute. But by then Canterbury were secure because Canterbury had been quick to take advantage of their extra man.
Taranaki, down 0-24 at halftime, also found themselves on the wrong end of the penalty count being down 1-9 .
But Taranaki decided the only way they could go was to produce the best defensive effort possible and the effectiveness they achieved was not reflected in the final score. They scrapped the whole way, making like especially difficult in the third quarter, the phase in which Liernert-Brown was sent off.
However, with Romano worked up and popping up in all sorts of places throughout the game to provide key passes and impetus at just the right time, and Ennor thriving on the quality of ball received, there was little Taranaki could do once Canterbury got their head in the final quarter.
The points were not long coming after Hoeata’s expulsion when in the 12th minute, halfback Mitch Drummond took full toll from a ruck following a lineout drive by scooting around the unprotected side in the time-honoured fashion for any halfback with an eye for a chance.
Connor Garden-Bachop marked his first start for the side when being fed into clear space from a backline movement given thrust by second five-eighths Sam Beard on the double round Ennor who sucked in the defence to set up the chance.
Then more Canterbury pressure in the red zone saw the home tight forwards move the ball like backs to create a chance for flanker Billy Harmon to score out wide.
Taranaki enjoyed their best phase of the game in the third quarter, aided by wing Ngane Punivai being ruled to have put a foot in touch just before touching down for a try in the first moments of the half.
But determined Canterbury defence, itself reduced to 14 while No.8 Hugh Renton was in the sin-bin, held Taranaki out. However, the frustration was apparent after Lienert-Brown gor his red card after retaliating to a push in the back from Riccitelli.
Punivai had better luck in the 69th minute after first five-eighths Brett Cameron initiated a move from his own goalline, stepping defenders and setting in train play which saw centre Braydon Ennor slice into wide open real estate, draw the solitary defence Seta Tamanivalu, and give Punivai the run in to the corner.
That was only moments after second five-eighths Sam Beard capitalised on another breakout by Canterbury and a centre kick by fullback George Bridge to break the second half deadlock.
Taranaki finally had some reward, albeit from an intercept when replacement back Jayson Potroz latched onto a pass just on Taranaki’s 10m line and cleared out for his side’s sole reward from a gutsy second half.
It was fitting that Romano and Ennor combined to post the final try of the game, Romano charging up the centre and then flinging an outrageous 20m pass to the outside where Ennor took the ball and rounded a defender to score in the corner.
The Scorers:
For Canterbury:
Tries: Mitchell Drummond, Connor Garden-Bachop, Billy Harmon, Sam Beard, Ngane Punivai, Braydon Ennor
Cons: Brett Cameron 4
Pen: Brett Cameron
For Taranaki
Try: Jayson Potroz
Con: Beaudein Waaka
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