Gutsy Turbos bounce back
A relieved Manawatu¯ coach Jeremy Cotter hopes his enlivened Turbos have set the blueprint for the rest of the season, after giving Canterbury some cold steel in Christchurch.
Although the Turbos lost 34-23 against the premier premiership team for nine seasons in 12, and one that could afford to buy two Manawatu¯ teams, the Turbos put their guts on the line and dispatched the embarrassing Otago reversal to the archives.
They even had the impudence to lead 13-12 at halftime on Thursday night after digging in for a Liam Mitchell try against the post. Canterbury must have thought the wrong mob had turned up.
Now the Turbos must resurrect that brimstone every week, firstly in a week’s time against Northland at Whangarei.
‘‘We came away empty-handed, but we didn’t really,’’ Cotter said. ‘‘The boys were absolutely venting after their last game, everyone was.
‘‘The result was immaterial. We wanted a performance to be proud of for what you hold dear, pride in the jersey. I was very proud of them.’’
The coaches had stressed that all week and were backed up by psychologist Luke Rowe, who the players responded to positively.
True, there were costly mistakes, but from the whistle prop Sean Paranihi and co were giving it to the big noters and hurled themselves kamikaze-style into rucks. Unfortunately, concussion took Paranihi off and Faalelei Sione had to come on with his aching hip after only 27 minutes. Hurricanes prop Fraser Armstrong is expected back from his elbow strain next week.
‘‘The guys were really beaten up,’’ Cotter said. ‘‘It’s very hard when you’re light on numbers and guys are getting knackered.
‘‘We won all the stats, but Canterbury have just so much depth. We have some pretty green guys who are short of experience.’’
Both hookers’ shoulders have gone, the very lively lock Brad Tucker rolled his ankle again and an openside flanker is close to being signed. That might give captain Antonio Kiri Kiri a breather, because he was massive again.
The last time Manawatu¯ played at Christchurch they coughed up 72 points and before that it was 42 and 50, that alone sending many Turbos’ fans to bed, terrified of an Otago repeat with interest.
Stats can be academic, but Manawatu¯ won the rucks 106 to 86, beat 37 defenders to 23, and made 13 clean breaks to six.
The frustration though was that, in the past three games, they have missed bonus points, as on Thursday when James Tofa almost got over in the 84th minute. The kicking needed to be to grass and deep, but wasn’t, and Canterbury’s second try came off another wasted box-kick, after one had been charged down.
It also ached when Sione grassed the ball 18 seconds after halftime to gift Canterbury a try, and when halfback Jamie Booth’s pass off a stable scrum went through the stable door to nowhere. Booth was again a Usain Bolt, just a pity his best dash was followed by a crooked lineout throw.
Canterbury’s lineout erred too at 80 per cent, but Manawatu, 76 per cent, again had wonky throws and miscommunication they need to solve. When they got clean lineout ball off lofty Tom Hughes later on, James Tofa put Lifeimi Mafi over for a simple try.
For once they were going through up to 11 phases, led by a motivated Mike Alaalatoa on his Crusaders track. It’s unfair to question the Turbos’ fervent tackling, but it’s scary when the backs fly out of the line.
Canterbury got there through second-half busts up the middle from hooker Greg Pleasants-tate, Whanganui first-five Brett Cameron and their big trio of locks.
Canterbury 34 (Reed Prinsep, Greg Pleasants-tate, Caleb Makene, Brett Cameron, Luke Romano tries; Cameron 3 con, pen) Manawatu¯ 23 (Liam Mitchell, Lifeimi Mafi tries; Sam Malcolm 2 con, 3 pen) HT: 12-13.