Playoff still possible
Counties Manukau’s Toni Pulu on the break against Southland yesterday.
The ITM Cup dream lives on for Counties Manukau, who made a good start to a tough week, coming from behind to beat Southland with a bonus-point win at Invercargill.
Trailing 7-5 at halftime and playing into a ferocious wind yesterday, Counties showed their Premiership pedigree with a gritty and determined second-half performance, scoring three tries to seal the win in the crossover match.
It keeps Counties’ semifinal dream alive, although only just. But with superstar Sonny Bill Williams linking with the side tomorrow, it would seem anything is possible.
First they face Auckland at Pukekohe on Wednesday, before travelling to Tasman for the final roundrobin game of the season on Sunday — their third in eight days.
To have any chance of clinching the Premiership’s fourth semifinal spot, they must win both while hoping Auckland earn nothing more than bonus points from their last two games. Auckland finish the regular season by hosting Northland on Saturday.
The loss was a big hit to Southland’s playoff aspirations and they are in a tight three-team race with North Harbour and Otago for the fourth Championship semifinal spot, which will be decided in the final round next weekend.
Rugby Park produced a torrid mix of wind, sleet and hail throughout, which made possession key and goal kicking near impossible.
Counties have a rock-star backline, but it wasn’t a day to dazzle. It was a day for grunt and no-nonsense up front at which Southland excelled in the first half, scoring a try and playing perfectly into the heavy wind.
There was a period at the end of the first half when Southland didn’t get the ball out of their half for 15 minutes but they defended with purpose and passion, and didn’t concede any points.
Just when it looked as if Southland were in control, they gifted Counties a second-half try. An overthrown Southland lineout on their own tryline landed in the hands of Augustine Pulu, who touched down for probably the easiest try of his career, and the momentum shifted.
A well-worked 10-man drive from a Counties lineout sealed the game in the 70th minute, with their muchdesired bonus-point try.
Southland missed first-five Lima Sopoaga, who traded being the best man for the Stags to be best man at his brother’s wedding.
Tim Nanai-Williams stood out for Counties, with a series of dangerous breaks releasing all the pressure in the second half.
Southland finish their regular season with a Ranfurly Shield challenge on Saturday against Hawke’s Bay. Southland 10 (B. Milne try; Scott Eade con, pen) Counties Manukau 24 (O. Auva’a, T. Nanai-Williams, A. Pulu, J. Taufua tries; A. Taula 2 cons). Halftime: Southland 7-5.