Mako made to work hard as Auckland bite AT A GLANCE
Tasman were pushed to the limit by Auckland in their 18-9 Mitre 10 Cup semifinal win at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim yesterday.
In a nail-biting Premiership contest which showed that the regular season counts for little in the playoffs, it took late tries by Quentin Strange and Alex Nankivell to separate the teams and confirm that next weekend’s final will take place in Nelson.
When these two teams met recently the Mako won 40-0 and rarely would an Auckland side have been such outsiders in a provincial contest, with Tasman looking so much better than everyone else this season as the defending champions battled for their best.
But the form book was thrown out of the window for this game and Tasman had to work desperately hard to beat a committed Auckland team that should have played like this all season.
Despite their underdog status, Auckland started brightly, particularly in the forwards with No 8 Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa excelling at the breakdown.
In the 15th minute Tasman
(Quentin Strange, Alex Nankivell tries; Mitch Hunt 2 pen, con) (Harry Plummer 3 pen). 6-3. were penalised for collapsing a scrum just inside their half, Auckland went for the lineout and from that another attack was launched. The Mako conceded another penalty and this time, in a much more kickable position, Harry Plummer bagged the three points.
Tasman’s Ethan Blackadder came off with a dislocated shoulder early in the game, and Jordan Taufua went off showing signs of concussion in the 20th minute. Their departures clearly impacted Tasman.
Auckland kept playing well, but were unable to trouble the scoreboard operator and it must have been pleasing for the Tasman coaches that their players had been able to soak up so much pressure.
Three minutes before the break Tasman did finally get off the mark from a Mitch Hunt penalty in front of the posts, then with time up for the half, Hunt goaled another penalty to put Tasman in front. Two minutes into the second half David Havili made a try saving tackle on Auckland’s Salesi Rayasi, but in the 48th minute Plummer’s boot made it 6-6.
In the 64th minute Tasman second-five Alex Nankivell gave away a penalty for tackling Rayasi without the ball, but Plummer missed his kick from out wide.
Auckland’s replacement hooker Robbie Abel was equally as culpable when he was caught offside at a ruck in his own half, but once again nerves got the better of the goal kickers, with Hunt missing.
But the deadlock was at last broken with 11 minutes to go when Quentin Strange took the ball standing one out from a ruck and rushed over for the game’s opening try.
Plummer closed the deficit to four points with a penalty in the 72nd minute, but they never got a chance to score again and the match was sealed with a try from Nankivell in the 77th minute.
Hawke’s Bay sealed a place in the Championship final away against Bay of Plenty with an extra-time 44-39 win over Otago in Napier yesterday.
Tasman 18
Auckland 9 HT: