Taranaki rattled in tight Shield scrap
The Ranfurly Shield is safe with Taranaki, but it was Wanganui who could hold their heads highest, after Saturday’s contest in Hawera.
In direct contrast to last weekend’s 78-0 thrashing of Poverty Bay in Tikorangi, the holders were unconvincing at TSB Hub, eventually winning 33-10, following a 5-5 second-half stalemate.
Wanganui have never won the Shield in 30 previous attempts and the three-time defending Meads Cup champions, fielding six first-class debutants, gave a fine account of themselves in the David-and-Goliath contest.
They held out the hosts for almost the first quarter, before a 28-point spree within 10 minutes resembled a scoreline more like the one predicted. But heavyweights Taranaki weren’t very clinical after that and Wanganui often tested their defence.
Taranaki coach Willie Rickards, who captained the amber-and-blacks to a Shield defence against Wanganui in 2012, had made 11 changes from last week, including the return of Blues first five-eighth Stephen Perofeta, playing at second-five, against a Wanganui province he represented back in 2015, while Chiefs halfback and All Blacks squad member Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi also featured in the second half.
The hosts made all the early running, but were their own worst enemies when fumbling passes, building frustration and keeping belief intact for the visitors, who successfully slowed things with breakdown infringements.
Wanganui got back into the Taranaki half in the 17th minute for the first time since the kickoff, but a wayward lineout sent them back, and from there the hosts produced slick ball movement from their own lineout to put left wing Kiniviliame Naholo in for the opening points.
The younger brother of All Blacks star Waisake had scored a double last weekend, but the 19-year-old’s day was done a few minutes later due to injury.
Thanks to a dominant scrum, Taranaki were awarded a penalty try, then straight from the restart Perofeta ignited an attack from deep and the hosts went the length of the park, with wing Avon Lewis finishing, before he then managed to snap up an intercept and race away to the corner.
Wanganui botched a chance to get on the board in the 33rd minute, when first-five and captain Dane Whale didn’t unload close to the line, but from the ensuing scrum No 8 Tremaine Gilbert powered his way over in the very same spot.
The try seemed to inspire the visitors, who made inroads through hard-running midfielders Penijamini Nabainivalu and Kameli Kuruyabaki, going into halftime at 28-5.
They scored again in the 68th minute when Taranaki fullback Jayson Potroz dropped a kick and Wanganui wing Simon Dibben dived on the loose ball.
But Taranaki centre Brayton Northcott-Hill snuffed out any comeback when going 45 metres to finish a long-range attack.