Wellington win in entertaining tryfest
Julian Savea and Nehe Milnerskudder traded tries in a highscoring 41-29 win for Wellington over Manawatu in Palmerston North yesterday.
Both All Blacks produced a couple of classy moments in the 11-try spectacle to open the season for both teams.
Aside from some early missed tackles and a spilt high ball each, both men had big impacts on their team’s performances.
It was a see-sawing match with both teams experiencing periods where they looked to be in control of the match.
Wellington shot out of the gates like a cannon thanks to Savea.
Manawatu midfielder Curtis Reid rushed up on defence which opened a huge hole for Savea. The
unwanted All Blacks wing passed to hooker Asafo Aumua, who fended Milner-skudder and set up Sheridan Rangihuna for the opening try in the first minute.
Just three minutes later Milnersudder made amends as he found a huge gap in the backline. Two phases later Otere Black threw a cut-out pass for Antonio Kiri Kiri who fed Kenyan wing Willy Ambaka for a try on debut.
Wellington were back on the scoresheet when prop Alex Fidow snuck over from a fractured maul.
The teams continued to trade tries as Curtis Reid dotted down for the Turbos from a move started by Milner-skudder and featuring good passing from Ambrose Curtis, Lewis Marshall and Kayne Hammington.
Milner-skudder was on the scoresheet himself not long after, outsprinting Savea on a blindside scrum move with Hammington and Ambaka.
The punishment kept coming for Wellington when Jackson Hemopo crossed after an Ambrose Curtis break on the half-hour mark.
Then the match swung again. With five minutes left in the half Aumua made a big break and set up Jackson Garden-bachop for a try. Garden-bachop set up Trent Renata just before halftime as the match descended into a try-fest.
The Turbos pulled Reid off at halftime to inject Jade Te Rure at first five-eighth and pushed Black to second five-eighth.
But it was in the forwards where Manawatu showed the biggest improvement. Their scrum destroyed a Wellington 5m feed and eventually set up a try to Te Rure.
But Wellington dominated possession late in the game.
Savea’s try came in the 56th as he bumped off a tackler and charged over from 15m out.
Wellington controlled the dying stages by holding onto the ball and when Malo Tuitama crossed with one minute left on the clock, it ensured Wellington would snap their three-game losing streak to Manawatu.