Impressive Mako make early waves
Tasman’s trick is to do it in a final now.
Runners-up to Canterbury in each of the last two national provincial seasons, the Mako struck first blood for 2018 by beating the red-and-blacks 25-17 in Blenheim on Friday. It’s better for Tasman than the 39-0 thrashing Canterbury dished out to them in round one last year but no more meaningful in the long run.
Tasman are a quality union, boasting a well-coached team and a bounty of Super Rugby talent. On that basis, Friday’s win doesn’t rate as an upset. It was still a handy sign of their evolution from a bit part of the Crusaders’ family, to sharing equal billing with Canterbury.
Again, though, the important thing is to win when it matters. Like Canterbury do season after season. Their 60-14 loss to championship side Wellington last year was quite eye-catching at the time, as was the concession of the Ranfurly Shield to Taranaki but, when it counted, Canterbury still emerged as champions.
Taranaki are one of the teams tipped to contend for this year’s title, so their 30-10 defeat to Bay of Plenty on Saturday would have to rate as a genuine upset. The Steamers hadn’t beaten Taranaki for 12 years, while it was the amber-and-blacks’ first defeat in Rotorua since 1975.
But the most eyebrow-raising part was that Taranaki are Ranfurly Shield holders. Regardless of personnel, it’s typical for holders to make a fast start to the competition purely on the basis of having had two or three defences while the rest of the teams aren’t even training together yet.
When Taranaki then included Super Rugby players of the calibre of Seta Tamanivalu, Teihorangi Walden, Ricky Riccitelli, Angus Ta’avao, Sean Wainui, Stephen Perofeta and Lachlan Boshier, they should’ve been a fair bit better than dear old Bay of Plenty.
Taranaki now face a shield defence against Manawatu on Friday. The Turbos are coming off a very handy 24-19 win at home over Waikato.
A hamstring injury to Rieko Ioane means Manawatu may well lose Nehe Milner-Skudder to the All Blacks, with Ryan Crotty’s head knock surely eliminating any hope that Ngani Laumape might’ve been released for Friday’s challenge.
Auckland, meanwhile, hung on to beat Counties Manukau 23-19 at Eden Park on Saturday, having led 20-14 at halftime. Both should be better for the run, in what was an often untidy affair.
At a glance
Week one results:
Thursday
North Harbour 21 (Dillon Hunt, Tevita Li tries; Bryn Gatland 3 pen, Bryn Hall con); Northland 20 (Tom Robinson, Jono Kitto tries, Jack Debreczeni 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 11-7. Friday
Tasman 25 (Levi Aumua, Quinten Strange, Solomon Alaimalo tries; Mitch Hunt 2 pen, 2 con) Canterbury 17 (Greg PleasantsTate 2 tries; Brett Cameron pen, 2 con). HT: 10-3.
Saturday ❚ Manawatu 24 (Junior Laloifi 2, Fa’alelei Sione, Rob Thompson tries; Jade Te Rure, Sam Malcolm con) Waikato 19 (Sevu Reece, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Declan O’Donnell tries; Fletcher Smith 2 con). HT: 5-12.
❚ Auckland 23 (Salesi Rayasi, Blake Gibson, Melani Nanai tries; Harry Plummer con, 2 pen), Counties Manukau 19 (Kalolo Tuiloma, Sam Henwood, Howard Sililoto tries; Latiume Fosita 2 con). HT: 20-14.
❚ Bay of Plenty 30 (Liam Polwart, Kane Leaupepe, Aaron Carroll tries; Mike Delany 3 con, 3 pen) Taranaki 10 (Seta Tamanivalu try; Beaudein Waaka con, pen) HT: 14-10.