At a glance
If Taranaki’s season really turns to custard, it won’t be Stephen Perofeta’s fault.
The first five-eighth missed a late conversion that would have seen Taranaki earn a last-gasp win over competition leaders Auckland on Saturday night. Instead, they lost 31-30, at Yarrow Stadium, to remain rooted to the bottom of the premiership standings after seven Mitre 10 Cup matches.
It’s easy to isolate incidents and players and say they’re responsible for this and that. But the reality is this was Perofeta’s first game since injuring a shoulder in week one, so he’s not the reason Taranaki are now in the relegation conversation.
They say some teams are too big, or too good, to go down and Taranaki would be in that bracket. You look at their squad and assume they ought to be contending for the title, not staring down the barrel of relegation.
But you lose tighthead prop, and captain, Angus Ta’avao to the All Blacks, along with a pivotal figure such as Perofeta and, all of a sudden, you can find yourself in trouble. Even among the name players who are on deck, such as Ricky Riccitelli, Seta Tamanivalu and Teihorangi Walden, you have blokes who have already had big years and are entitled to feel a little jaded.
Take Riccitelli. With Dane Coles and Asafo Aumua crocked, the hooker played just about every minute of every match for the Hurricanes and that eventually takes its toll.
The whole Yarrow Stadium thing hardly helps, either. Taranaki fans are among the more vocal and loyal around but, with the grandstands in New Plymouth uninhabitable due to an earthquake risk, their influence has been negligible.
Throw that all in the pot, along with some unexpected performances that must have impacted morale, and you’ve suddenly got a recipe for relegation, particularly with games against North Harbour, Canterbury and Wellington to conclude the season.
The bonus point Counties Manukau got from yesterday’s
21-19 loss to Tasman means Taranaki are now two points adrift at the bottom of the premiership standings.
Taranaki are good enough and talented enough to stay up, but some seasons just get away from you for no apparent reason.
Elsewhere in week six, Tasman started proceedings by beating Manawatu, Northland took care of Southland, Waikato thrashed Bay of Plenty, Otago lost
47-25 to Canterbury and Harbour enjoyed a 51-34 win over Hawke’s Bay in Napier.
But they’re all chasing Auckland, with their perfect six-fromsix record. Tasman are closest, a point back, but having played seven matches.
The Mako now meet thirdplaced Wellington on Saturday, who warmed up for that clash by beating Manawatu 49-7 in yesterday’s late game.