PleasantsTate showing way for backs
RUGBY
‘‘ONLY just, only just,’’ Southland hooker Greg PleasantsTate joked when asked if he had caught his breath following the 70m burst during the loss to Northland on Sunday.
The former Highlanders hooker has been one of the more potent attacking players for the Stags this season.
Forget about the wingers, it is hookers who are the deadly assassins these days — waiting in the boot of a maul ready to flop over the line at the right time.
It might not be quite as easy as that but PleasantsTate has dotted down three times during the campaign and showed the backs the way with his burst in Whangarei on the weekend.
His success will be a little bit niggly for the backs. Southland has the worst attack in the competition, netting just 64 points from five games. But its defence has been stout.
The Stags have conceded a tournamentlow 65 points — a paltry tally by any count.
But the side’s offence has not ran smoothly. It attacked and attacked but could not find a way past the Northland defence in the last 15 minutes of the game and lost 1814. Coach Dale MacLeod lamented it was a game his side should have won ‘‘99 times out of a 100’’.
It was just the small details which let the side down and that has been the focus for the team as it prepares for a crucial match against Taranaki in Invercargill tonight.
Both sides have a record of two wins and three losses. But the Stags have an extra bonus point and are in fourth place.
A loss to Taranaki would put a serious dent in their playoff prospects.
‘‘Our defence is going real well and we are led well by our defensive leaders,’’ Pleasants-Tate said.
‘‘But, on the flipside, our attack has been going well but is just one step away from clicking and finding that last pass and getting over the tryline which is what we need.’’
PleasantsTate was sidelined with a serious neck injury at the end of 2018. But he had surgery and is feeling great.
The 29yearold moved to Southland with his partner, Kate Murray, who is from the region, to recover and is rebuilding his career.
He has been somewhat of a rugby nomad. PleasantsTate was born in Whanganui and went to secondary school in Auckland.
But he made his firstclass debut for Bay of Plenty and has also played for North Harbour, Auckland and Canterbury in the Mitre 10 Cup, while at Super Rugby level he played for the Highlanders in 201618 and made one appearance for the Blues in 2015.
He also played for the New Zealand under20 side in 2011.
PleasantsTate does not have a Super rugby contract for next season and is just concentrating on performing well for Southland. He ditched plans to get into the fashion industry and works for a construction firm when not playing rugby.