Maul needs to be kicked beyond the dead-ball line
Rugby has become more than a bit daft when hookers are scoring more tries than wings. Take last year when Hawke’s Bay captain Ash Dixon was the country’s leading try-scorer with 15. It is all because most teams who win a penalty across the opposition’s border bang the ball into touch for the big boys to get all excited, win the lineout and maul over.
Take last Sunday’s match, when the Turbos’ sole try in a turgid encounter was scored by hooker Ray Niuia from a well-taken maul.
Three of Wellington’s tries were also scored from mauls, which have become a blight on the game.
Once, the aim was to throw the ball around not to transfer it subcutaneously to a mate joined at the hip.
It would be simple for the overlords to eliminate mauling by declaring everyone in front of the guy cuddling the ball offside.
For supposed safety reasons the defenders may not sack the maul and anyone who tries gets yellowed.
With the crowds back last Sunday, there was an expectation Manawatu¯ might tickle up Wellington but the Turbos barely breached Wellington’s 22.
It seems the Turbos were so hyped for it that they tried to be hypersonic, and hence there were 15 knockons and turnovers and 22 tackles were missed from 135 attempts.
With endless stoppages, it was like watching South Africa’s time-outs. By comparison, the NRL product is non-stop. The game turned on a crucial knock-on by Wellington wing Pepesana Patafilo in the 44th minute, a mere minute after Manawatu¯ had taken the lead.
There were yelps from the crowd when Hawke’s Bay referee Nick Hogan made a ruling out of his britches, claiming the ball had come off a Manawatu¯ defender.
The subsequent Wellington onslaught from that call saw them score two tries and contest over.
It was gratifying to see All Black father-to-be Nehe Milner-Skudder back to much of his old form after enduring such a torrid time with injuries and their aftermath in recent seasons.
His trademark shimmies and sleight of hand when dashing close to the sideline is manna from heaven for the Turbos’ wings.
Sadly, it appears All Black Aaron Smith’s goal of 50 games for Manawatu¯ might be dashed by his pre-natal priorities in Dunedin. He is sitting on 47.
The Turbos are in prime position for their first home semifinal since 2014. With speedway holding off until November 20, they won’t be shuttling off to the dog park at Manfeild this time.
But because of the Covid-stretched season and with Manawatu¯ to have a bye before a semifinal, overseas contracts are intruding.
Mainstay lock Liam Mitchell will be in Italy by then, as will prop Tietie Tuimauga (Connacht, Ireland) and hooker Siua Maile (with Tonga to Europe) but there is hope the season’s best acquisition, first-five Brett Cameron, will stay until Japan calls.
It was refreshing to see a coach – Taranaki’s Neil Barnes – going off half-cocked about the NPC format, while Manawatu¯ offered only a tepid release.
Barnes had a point – that the NPC should be one division – but to expect promotion in a Covid year and for Auckland to be relegated after playing only two matches had zero merit.
New Zealand golfers will be even thinner on the ground on the PGA Tour in the United States. Of the two with precious tour cards, 43-yearold Palmerston North professional Tim Wilkinson has not played in a tournament since the Byron Nelson in May and is on a ‘‘reshuffle’’ medical exemption following a knee injury.
Danny Lee has lost his PGA Tour card for the first time since 2014 and a broken rib has him on a minor medical exemption; but as a previous winner, he is assured of a few starts while mostly consigned to the secondary Korn Ferry Tour.
For Wilkinson, 18 years as a professional, playing and practice, take their toll on knees. Following an operation this month, he will be out of action for a few months. Previously, in 2009, he tore a ligament off a thumb. The danger is in coming back too early but when Wilkinson returns he will be given seven starts while Lee gets three.
Steven Alker was on and off the big tour but has banked $700,000 now he is swinging on the PGA Tour Champions for the over-50s. He has had six top 10s in seven tournaments but Wilkinson is seven years from that.
Unfortunately, no other Kiwi is aspiring to the PGA Tour. The only other New Zealander in the mix is Aucklander Nick Voke who is 88th on the Korn Ferry Tour. Most find it easier to reside in the US – Alker lives in Arizona, Wilkinson in Florida and Lee in Texas.