Clayton's ban not a good message

OPINION: There were a lot of people, including me, who couldn't comprehend how the five suspended Taranaki rugby players could play for the development team on Saturday.

The reasons given were that without them, the development team would have had to default and that their penalty was not playing for the top side. It was a Clayton's suspension and not the best of messages to send.

The toughest call was benching regular development halfback Gareth Goodin, one of the stars of the club season and the highest tryscorer in club play. Goodin should have been picked ahead of Beydon Phillips or started on the wing – his regular spot – ahead of suspended player Ed Jenkins.

Curious decisions indeed.

But almost as strange was Taranaki running out four subs with two minutes remaining in Saturday night's Air New Zealand Cup clash against Otago in New Plymouth.

Use your bench by all means, but trotting out players with time almost up is pointless.

What impact can they have in two minutes? They would be lucky to touch the ball. It only devalues the jersey.

NRL FINAL

The NRL final had to be the pick of the weekend's sporting action.

Just when you thought the Melbourne Storm would win easily, back came the Parramatta Eels from 22-6 behind to close to 22-16 with 10 minutes remaining and the tide in its favour. But the Eels had only themselves to blame in the final wash-up.

They got back into the match with a 72nd minute try by Fuifui Moimoi and rushed back on to attack. But Moimoi, who had barged over minutes earlier, was nowhere to be sighted in the set of six and the chance went begging. Why he wasn't called on again is a mystery?

TUS VS CAMERON

Plenty of hype and just as much fizz.

The David Tua-Shane Cameron fight was billed as the "Fight of the Century" but fizzled out with Tua knocking down Cameron seven seconds into the second round.

There were many who tipped Tua to win, but few predicted it would be so easy.

After the hiding Cameron received on Saturday night, it wouldn't surprise if he didn't fight again – certainly not against someone like Tua.

PROVINCIAL CHAMPS

It was good for the future of netball in this district that Western retained its first division status in netball's national provincial championship.

Taranaki, Manawatu and Wanganui need a team in the top division to retain their best players.

What's more, it was great to have Taranaki shooter Chantelle Ngaia recognised in the tournament team and Alanah Cassidy named in the New Zealand under-21 squad.

- © Fairfax NZ News