Stags just miss out once more NPC
The scores
Auckland ........................................ 24 Jackson Pugh, Salesi Rayasi tries, penalty try; Harry Plummer 2 con, pen
Southland ...................................... 23 Isaac Te Tamaki, Jakob Morrison tries; Marty Banks con, 3 pen, Greg Dyer con
Halftime: Auckland 146.
SOUTHLAND might have stolen an unlikely NPC victory had it been given just a few more minutes yesterday.
Unfortunately, a game that stretched out interminably had to eventually be whistled to a close.
The Stags — they have made something of an art form of this in recent seasons — had to be content with another gallant loss as they fell to Auckland by a point at Rugby Park.
Their horns were up at the end of the game, but they left it just a bit late to score the try that sealed a bonus point.
Replacement halfback Jakob Morrison, the Australianbased son of former New Zealand cricketer Danny Morrison, scored a try on debut in stoppage time.
If any time at all had been left, Auckland would have been very nervous indeed, as the gutsy Stags were coming home with a wet sail.
It was a strange game that threatened to carry on all afternoon.
There was a 20minute delay when the fire alarm went off and the crowd in the main stand had to be evacuated on to the pitch; a long delay for a video replay decision on an Auckland try that never looked doubtful; the new World Rugbymandated drinks breaks; and the usual frustrating scrum resets and general fluffing about that plagues modern rugby.
At least the fire alarm delay had some properly local flavour to it — Stuff later reported the culprit was a burnt cheese roll in the Southland supporters clubrooms.
When the ball was actually in play, Southland looked more than decent as prop Morgan Mitchell anchored a vigorous pack and Jahvis Wallace, Scott Gregory and Isaac Te Tamaki all showed glimpses of attacking gumption in the backs.
Auckland held the whip hand at halftime thanks to two tries — the first from a wonderful display of strength off the back off the scrum from Jackson Pugh, the second a penalty try — and the fact Southland captain Josh Bekhuis was in the bin for dragging a maul down.
The Stags had not helped themselves with some dud handling skills, and when they trailed 176 after the fire alarm delay, they looked like toast — or perhaps burnt cheese.
Instead, Te Tamaki showed twinkling footwork to step two defenders and score a lovely try, and Marty Banks’ third penalty made it 1716 with a quarter to play.
Southland was playing all the rugby by this point, but another lost ball led to Auckland winger Salesi Rayasi rounding Banks for a try.
The Stags are not big on quitting, and they tried manfully to narrow the gap, but the clock became their enemy, and the Morrison try was just a consolation.