Taranaki move up to second after big win
Taranaki have broken a 44-year losing streak in Napier after they heaped more misery on Hawke’s Bay following a comfortable 48-17 Mitre 10 Cup win.
The win moved Taranaki up to second on the premiership table while Hawke’s Bay remain just a place off the foot of the championship table and appearing a forlorn hope of making the play-offs.
It was not as if Taranaki were at their best but it was more than god enough to get past a Hawke’s Bay side that has won just once in 2017.
Contrast that to Taranaki who moved past North Harbour on the table as they get set for their busiest part of the season.
Overall it was simply a case of Taranaki’s scrum being too good, their attack being better and Hawke’s Bay’s discipline simply not meeting a required standard.
Both sides opted to turn down easy shots at goal in the first 10 minutes and both failed to take advantage of ideal attacking positions as mistakes and poor option taking countered their intent.
Taranaki looked to have crossed first through Marty McKenzie but the television match official came up with a correct ruling on a knock on.
The visitors continued to blow several clear try scoring chances through their own inability to take advantage of a dominant scrum, although they had an argument for a penalty try following a Hawke’s Bay infringement.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 25th minute after Hawke’s Bay tighthead Pouri Rakete-Stones was yellow carded for continued team infringements close to their line and Toa Halafihi scored following yet another scrum.
Taranaki then doubled their advantage when Marty McKenzie won a foot race following a charge down before Hawke’s Bay got back in the game with five minutes left of the first half through a Cardiff Vaega try before they were in again a minute later after Ihaia West showed his quick turn of foot.
It was arguably more than they deserved given they spent 30 minutes defending but highlighted Taranaki’s inability to turn dominance into a decent quota of points.