Waikato go top as sluggish Auckland continue to falter
Auckland’s sluggish start to the Mitre 10 Cup season continued last night, falling to a sloppy defeat against Waikato at Eden Park.
Having begun their Premiership campaign with a defeat against Counties Manukau before barely beating Northland last weekend, Auckland showed few signs of improvement as Waikato went to the top of the division standings.
The visitors in truth weren’t much better, as mistakes and a slippery surface played a prominent part but, with 20 minutes left, a rare moment were caught out after Jordan Trainor’s penalty came back off the posts, with captain Patrick Tuipulotu quickly crashing over from close range, before the hosts threw one away on their own line and allowed flanker Jordan Manihera to score his sixth try in three games.
Turnovers and missed tackles continued to have a big impact as Marcel Renata’s try helped Auckland close the gap to 18-17 at halftime and, after the break, a lack of discipline compounded the many mistakes as the teams traded shots at goal before a penalty try extended Waikato’s advantage.
That decisive moment saw Renata sin-binned and Waikato capitalised with the match-winner, although there was little an extra man could have done to stop Reece converting a spectacular chip-and-chase.
(P. Tuipulotu, M. Renata, S. Havili Talitui tries; J. Trainor 3 cons, 2 pens)
Auckland 27 Waikato 35
(T. Campbell, J. Manihera, S. Reece tries, penalty try; M. Lansdown con, 2 pens, S. Christie con, pen). Halftime: 17-18.