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Wins for Taranaki and Hawke's Bay

NPC WRAP: Scrum power has long been the basis of successful Shield tenures and Taranaki demonstrated that by the spadeful in seeing off Manawatu’s challenge 41–21 during their National Provincial Cup game in New Plymouth on Friday.

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Pouring on the power at key moments in the first half, they defanged Manawatu’s pack with a try on halftime from a pushover try to No.8 Toa Halafihi which gave his side a 31-14 lead. And they continued to utilise their strength at every opportunity in the second half to tie up a powerful performance.

Meanwhile, Hawke’s Bay’s disappointing 2017 campaign have been followed up with a flying start to 2018 with a bonus-point 25-31 win over Otago under the roof in Dunedin.

The win completes a clean-sweep over Highlanders partners Southland and Otago in consecutive weeks and puts the Magpies at the top of the Championship standings with a maximum 10 points from two games.

Taranaki 41-21 Manawatu

Prop Angus Ta’avao and hooker Ricky Riccitelli put all their Super Rugby experience to use up front while in the backline the one man wrecking unit that is centre Seta Tamanivalu created havoc all night with strong runs, chargedowns, vital tackles and set up plays with wing Manasa Mataele also contributing some strong runs.

Taranaki, mindful of their first round loss to Bay of Plenty, signalled their intent with a strong start with fullback Beaudein Waaka fielding a missed touch kick, set up play and then on receipt of a pass from first five-eighths Daniel Waite ran hard down the line, linking with Mataele who ran in the opening try after six minutes.

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Manawatu worked the blindside from ruck after ruck and induced Mataele to attempt a long kick. That only resulted in wing Nehe Milner-Skudder running the ball back. Prop Michael Alaalatoa passed a long ball to centre Rob Thompson who took a gap and then fed fullback Junior Laloifi into space and he worked his magic to run 50m, and beating halfback Logan Crowley’s tackle to head off the defence.

Having made their way back into Taranaki territory, Manawatu lost a lineout and the home team made them pay as a downfield kick was contested by wing Latu Vaeno in competition with Milner-Skudder. Vaeno claimed the ball when Milner-Skudder couldn’t secure it, and when he was tackled, Taranaki won the ruck and it was Waaka who received a long ball to throw a dummy and go over for the try.

Thompson was back in the action in the 27th minute when fed into a gap by flanker Antonio Kiri Kiri. He sprinted into the goalmouth and desperate Taranaki defenders infringed twice, the second being a knocked ball over the dead ball line by Waaka. Manawatu took the lineout and brought the ball infield before flanker Nick Crosswell scored.

Continuing the topsy-turvy scoring, Taranaki latched onto a chargedown by centre Seta Tamanivalu to drive cleaner Malcolm back over the line. From the five-metre scrum the ball was moved for second five-eighths Tei Walden to run a good line to claim Taranaki’s third try.

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Halafihi’s try followed just before the half, and then seven minutes after they returned, more Taranaki scrum power and an entry into the backline by Mataele, created space for first five-eighths Daniel Waite to score.

There was time for one of Manawatu’s best Thompson to latch onto an in-pass from Kiri Kiri to score a 68th minute try which was reward for a more competitive period in their second half.

The scorers:

For Taranaki:
Tries: Manasa Mataele, Beaudein Waaka, Tei Walden, Toa Halafihi, Daniel Waite
Cons: Waaka 5
Pens: Waaka 2

For Manawatu
Tries: Junior Laloifi, Nick Crosswell, Rob Thompson,
Cons: Sam Malcolm 2, Jade Te Rure

Teams:

Taranaki: 15 Beaudein Waaka, 14 Latu Vaeno, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Daniel Waite, 9 Logan Crowley, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Mitchell Crosswell, 5 Jesse Parete, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Ricky Riccitelli,1 Reuben O’Neill,
Replacements: 16 Donald Maka, 17 Chris Gawler, 18 Kyle Stewart, 19 Kane Thompson, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Brendan Leonard, 22 Brayton Northcott-Hill, 23 Regan Ware.

Manawatu: 15 Junior Laloifi, 14 Te Rangatira Waitokia, 13 Rob Thompson, 12 Hamish Northcott, 11 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 10 Sam Malcolm, 9Kayne Hammington, 8 Brice Henderson, 7 Antonio Kiri Kiri, 6 Liam Mitchell, 5 Nick Crosswell, 4 Brad Tucker, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Tim Cadwallader, 1 Fraser Armstrong,
Replacements: 16.Sam Stewart, 17.Faalelei Sione, 18.Sione Asi, 19.Sam Slade, 20.Jackson Iose, 21.Jamie Booth, 22.Jade Te Rure, 23.James Tofa.

Otago 25-31 Hawke’s Bay

Last week, the Magpies set piece and power upfront was to the fore with four driving maul tries helping them to a bonus-point win over Southland in Invercargill.

It was always going to be a more expansive game against Otago under the roof at Forsyth-Barr Stadium and so it proved as powerful loose forward Siosuia Kaifa barged over in the 13th minute following a fast-paced start to the game.

Otago then rocked the visitors with two tries in the space of three minutes to grab all the momentum. Impressive first five-eighth Josh Ioane and blindside flanker Naulia Dawai came up with the points but outside backs Vilimoni Koroi and Jona Nareki were the architects with a couple of searing breaks.

The pace showed no-signs of letting up and slick passing exhibition from the Magpies put fullback Jamie Jerry Taulagi over to even the ledger.

The game began to settle down late in the half with both packs controlling the ball and a Josh Ioane penalty giving Otago a 17-14 halftime lead.

The Magpies swung onto attack early in the first half and pressured the home-side into giving away a number of penalties before wing Josh Timu was yellow-carded.

The one-man deficit immediately showed as prop Ben May charged over to steal back the lead for the Magpies.

Otago did well to slow down the tempo of the match and prevent any more points from the Magpies while they were a man down. But they were powerless to stop a relentless Magpies surge between the 60th and 65th minute as they crossed for tries to Mason Emerson and Brad Weber to take a stranglehold on the match.

Emerson’s try came following some slick hands down the short side and finished by scorching pace while Weber deceived Otago with a dummy close to the line.

A grandstand finish beckoned when Vilimoni Koroi went over from a Jona Nareki assist but the Magpies wore down the clock expertly in the closing minutes to claim the 25-31 victory.

Loose forward Gareth Evans was immense for Hawke’s Bay both with ball in hand and on defence and deserved to scoop three Duane Monkley Medal points.

Next week, Otago travel north to take on Manawatu in Palmerston North while Hawke’s Bay are at home for the first time this year against win-less Counties Manukau.

The Scorers:
For Otago
TRies: Naulia Dawai, Vilimoni Koroi tries, Josh Ioane
Cons: Josh Ioane 2
Pens: Josh Ioane 2

For Hawke’s Bay
TRies: Siosiua Kaifa, Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, Ben May, Mason Emerson, Brad Weber
Cons: Tiaan Falcon 3

Teams

Otago: 15 Vilimoni Koroi, 14 Josh Timu, 13 Matt Faddes, 12 Sio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Josh Renton, 8 Sione Misiloi, 7 Slade McDowall, 6 Naulia Dawai, 5 Josh Dickson, 4 Tom Rowe, 3 Hisa Sasagi, 2 Sam Anderson-Heather, 1 Aki Seiuli
Replacements: Seki Pole, Tom Hill, Donald Brighouse, Joketani Koroi, Sam Dickson, Kurt Hammer, Matt Whaanga, Taylor Haugh

Hawke’s Bay: 15 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, 14 Jonah Lowe, 13 Stacy Ili, 12 Pasqualle Dunn, 11 Mason Emerson, 10 Tiaan Falcon, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Josh Kaifa, 6 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, 5 Michael Allardice, 4 Tom Parsons, 3 Ben May, 2 Ash Dixon, 1 Mark Braidwood.
Replacements: Ben Power, Joe Apikotoa, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Devan Flanders, Will Tremain, Folau Fakatava, Toifilau Sasa, Michael Buckley

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