Taranaki overcomes shaky start

Photosport

TRY SCORER: Shayne Austin in action against Tasman.

Relevant offers

Provincial

Injured Manawatu No8 hoping feeling returns Counties in talks with Tana Umaga Former All Black Macdonald to assist Tasman Daniel Kirkpatrick signs on with Magpies Pisi signing adds depth to Taranaki player pool Manawatu chairman ready to stand down Ecstatic Crowley regains job Manawatu fuming over player losses Rugby uncertainty led to Manawatu player loss Bay of Plenty sign All Blacks winger

It wasn't always pretty, but Taranaki is top of the table for now.

After a lacklustre start, Taranaki came back from 9-0 down after 30 minutes to beat Tasman 21-9 in Blenheim last night in the opening match of the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup rugby competition.

It was just the sort of start Tenderlink Taranaki needed to the season, banking four points for the win and heading off one of the teams threatened by the New Zealand Rugby Union's axe.

But slow starts, like last night, won't so easily be remedied against better opposition.

Taranaki's first quarter play was sloppy. Too often Taranaki worked hard to make it into the Tasman 22, only to force a pass or turn the ball over in the tackle, allowing Tasman to clear downfield. It was frustrating to watch and must have been doubly frustrating for the players.

Tasman, on the other hand, managed to knock over three penalty goals in the first 30 minutes, including a booming 53m effort by Andrew Goodman from just inside his own half, to lead 9-0.

A debatable late challenge by flanker John Willis had Tasman goalkicker James Marshall lining up another attempt and it could easily have been 12-0. There was a tad of justice when the kick missed.

When Willie Ripia slotted a penalty goal for Taranaki a few minutes later, the sting went out of the home side.

Whatever was said at halftime worked. Taranaki plugged the holes in its backline defence and the forwards held on to the ball.

Enter the star of last year, second five-eighth Jayden Hayward. His individual effort three minutes into the second half was a gem. He sliced between two players, then stepped inside Tasman halfback Kahn Fotuali'i to score by the posts and, with Ripia's conversion, Taranaki hit the lead at 10-9.

It was Taranaki's game from there on, with 18 unanswered points in the second half a clear indication of the difference between the sides.

Not long after, Taranaki could have been in again when fullback Asalemo Malo charged down a kick but, as he and wing Nathan Hohaia got tangled, Tasman escaped.

It didn't really matter with Ripia matching Goodman's first-half penalty effort, kicking one from just inside his own half to make it 13-9. Heavy pressure near the Tasman created the second try with wing Shayne Austin slipping through a gap to score near the posts after a sweetly timed in-pass by Ripia, with 10 minutes remaining.

While Ripia's conversion was a shocker, he made up for it moments later with a third penalty goal.

Taranaki's defence in the second half was one of the high points, with Tasman struggling to find any way through an organised screen. Austin's try-saving effort in the corner to bundle his opposite Afeleke Pelenise into touch typified the effort.

"The boys started slow," Taranaki captain Tony Penn said afterwards. "The boys got a bit of a shock, none of that pre-season stuff. But we backed ourselves on defence and built from that. We're just rapt to get the win and it's given us a good platform."

Taranaki coach Adrian Kennedy was both happy and relieved with the win.

"We're delighted to come away with a win against a very strong Tasman side. We made mistakes early, but felt there was a momentum shift just before halftime," Kennedy said.

"At the break we spoke about composure, retaining the ball and being more accurate. And to the boys' credit, the defence really stepped up."

The win sets up Taranaki nicely to make it two from two next Thursday night against Northland in Albany.

TARANAKI 21 (Jayden Hayward, Shayne Austin tries; Willie Ripia con, 3 pen) TASMAN 9 (James Marshall 2 pen; Andrew Goodman pen). Halftime: Tasman 9-3.