Tasman Makos must wait after reality check
Tasman’s checklist for NPC final victory over Canterbury was simple.
Achieve parity, or better, at scrum time; win all your lineouts; look after the ball in the tackle; contest the breakdowns with accuracy and vigour; maintain discipline; make first-up tackles and play for the whole 80 minutes.
Oh yeah, and don’t let Richie Mo’unga run – recalling how he carved you up in last year’s final.
However, as head coach Leon MacDonald said post-match, talking about it and doing it are two different things and his side again came up short in keeping Mo’unga quiet – plus in several other key areas against an opponent ruthlessly adept at exploiting weakness.
Tasman’s set pieces were simply not good enough at this stage of the season, although their scrum could be allowed some latitude given their plethora of front row disruptions before and during the game.
The Makos were also shaded in ball security, at the breakdown and in individual defence, adding up to another frustrating night as another chance to shed the ‘‘little brother’’ tag went begging.
Shrugging off the disappointment, top of the south fans can feel heartened by the continued development of their flagship side.
Let’s not forget this is a squad shorn of several key players from previous campaigns. Only 10 of the 23 players who turned out for the 2016 final were in action on Saturday. The absence of inspirational skipper Shane Christie was keenly felt, along with the trusty inside back combination of Marty Banks, David Havili and Kieran Fonotia.
However, new faces have emerged. Levi Aumua has become a powerful midfield presence, Will Jordan is a prodigious talent while Tyrel Lomax is already on the national radar.
Players such as Alex Nankivell, Mitch Hunt, Finlay Christie, Shannon Frizell, Vernon Fredericks, Ethan Blackadder, Pari Pari Parkinson, Tim O’Malley, Isaac Salmon and Braden Stewart have been forced to step up, providing a depth of talent that Tasman will need if they are to eventually get their hands on the premiership silverware.
The fact four Makos players are with the All Blacks in Europe, while the majority of this side will pick up Super Rugby contracts, underlines Tasman’s status as one of the nation’s most fertile breeding grounds.
A final thought goes to James Lowe and Siua Halanukonuka, both wonderful footballers and unique characters who deserved to leave on a winning note. They can head for Europe proud that they have helped the Makos become a provincial powerhouse.