Well, here is the review of the 6th round of the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season:
Mitre 10 Premiership leaders Tasman kept their winning record alive but only after a late penalty try went their way before beating North Harbour 21-17 on Sunday.
Tasman are now seven points clear in the championship with Wellington in second on 21 points and Auckland third on 19.
The improving Canterbury side slipped into the top four after their big win over Northland and Waikato's loss to Hawke's Bay.
It was Hawke's Bay first win over Waikato since 2008 and left Hawke's Bay similarly seven points clear in the Mitre 10 Championship from the Bay of Plenty side that beat Taranaki in New Plymouth on Saturday.
Waikato 24 Hawke's Bay 27
First five-eighths Lincoln McClutchie set the trend for Hawke's Bay when scoring a sensational solo try two minutes into the game at FMG Stadium in Hamilton. Waikato got on the board after an attempted intercept was missed and the ball moved to the left flank where Solomon Alaimalo ran in the try. Then two tries to Quinn Tupaea took Waikato out to a 19-10 lead. But with 30 minutes left Hawke's Bay mounted their comeback through the forwards and halfback Folau Fakatava, Pouri Rakete-Stones and Mason Emerson capped the effort with tries before Simon Parker ensured a fascinating final eight minutes as Waikato got within three.
Scorers: Waikato 24 (Solomon Alaimalo, Quinn Tupaea 2, Simon Parker tries; Rivez Raihana 2 con) Hawke's Bay 27 (Lincoln McClutchie, Folau Fakatava, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Mason Emerson tries; McClutchie 2 con, pen). HT: 19-10
Northland 12 Canterbury 42
Canterbury and Northland exchanged tries in the first six minutes of their game in Whangarei but it was the southerners who kicked on, employing their forward power, although it was another 24 minutes before they scored their second to Brodie McAlister. Josh McKay made use of a lucky bounce to race away for his seventh try of the season. Wing Fergus Burke was able to capitalise on first five-eighths Brett Cameron's well-placed cross kick before lock Cullen Grace capped off a much improved Canterbury effort.
Scorers: Northland 12 (Sean Sweetman, Jack Debreczeni tries; Debreczeni con) Canterbury 42 (Sam Gilbert, Brodie McAlister, Josh McKay, Whetu Douglas, Fergus Burke, Cullen Grace tries; Brett Cameron 3 con, 2 pen). HT: 7-22
Taranaki 17 Bay of Plenty 31
Halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta combined with good running to give fullback Jason Potroz the opening try in New Plymouth but halfback Richard Judd and wing Chase Tiatia produced their own magic with an inside pass from Judd opening a huge hole for Tiatia to race through unopposed. That started a trend as good combination work saw wing Emoni Narawa and first five-eighths Dan Hollinshead in for tries before Fa'asiu Fuatai made the most of a Perofeta pass to complete a game-killing intercept try. Tei Walden got Taranaki within striking distance but it was replacement wing Joe Ravouvou who sealed the win when taking a cross-kick with ease to score.
Scorers: Taranaki 17 (Jason Potroz, Teihorangi Walden tries; Daniel Waite 2 con, pen) Bay of Plenty 31 (Chase Tiatia, Emoni Narawa, Dan Hollinshead, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Joe Ravouvou tries; Hollinshead 2 con; Jason Robertson con). HT: 10-17
Southland 26 Manawatu 31
Southland had every reason to think they were headed for the winner's circle when out to a 26-7 lead at halftime against Manawatu. They had played some of their best rugby of the season in the first half as hooker Greg Pleasants-Tate, wing Lewis Ormond, halfback Logan Crowley and midfield Ray Nu'u all scored. But they didn't reckon on the Manawatu wrecking ball Ngani Laumape who had an outstanding game, taking every opportunity and creating a nightmare for the Southland defence. He scored two tries before replacement loose forward Rhys Henderson crossed for the winner, on the back of fine control shown by first five-eighths Otere Black, a typically busy display by halfback Jamie Booth and No.8 Brayden Iose, who score a fine first half try.
Southland 26 (Greg Pleasants-Tate, Lewis Ormond, Logan Crowley, Ray Nu'u tries; Marty McKenzie 3 con) Manawatu 31 (Brayden Iose, Ngani Laumape 2, Rhys Henderson tries; Otere Black 4 con, pen). HT: 26-7
Counties Manukau 13 Auckland 28
Auckland rebounded from last week's loss to Canterbury to record a convincing bonus point win over Counties Manukau.
Scorers: Counties Manukau 13 (Joe Royal, Nabou tries; Orbyn Leger pen) Auckland 28 (Blake Gibson, Caleb Clarke, Harry Plummer, Salesi Rayasi tries; Plummer 2 con; Daniel Kirkpatrick 2 con). HT: 7-3
Wellington 54 Otago 24
Scoring the first of their eight tries within the first minute, the first of three for wing Wes Goosen, Wellington shut Otago out of the game early, racing to a 35-5 lead at half time. Prop Alex Fidow touched down twice while Peter Umaga-Jensen, halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and wing Ben Lam added to the total. Wing Henry Purdy scored Otago's only try of the first half with replacements Michael Collins and Mikaele Mafi joining centre Aleki Morris with second half consolation tries.
Scorers: Wellington 54 (Wes Goosen 3, Alex Fidow 2, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Ben Lam tries; Trent Renata 7 con) Otago 24 (Henry Purdy, Michael Collins, Aleki Morris, Mikaele Mafi tries; Josh Ioane 2 con). HT: 35-5
Tasman 21 North Harbour 17
Indiscipline hit both sides as they each secured a penalty try in this close contest. North Harbour scored first through hooker James Parsons while halfback Finlay Christie replied soon after for Tasman. A Matt McGahan penalty goal and their penalty try gave North Harbour the halftime lead of 17-7 but the home team kept in touch with a try to Sione Havili Talitui midway through the second half, but it was only the awarding of a 76th minute penalty try to Tasman that allowed them to keep their winning record alive.
Scorers: Tasman 21 (Finlay Christie, Sione Havili Talitui tries; Penalty try; Tim O'Malley 2 con) North Harbour 17 (James Parsons try; Penalty try; Matt McGahan con, pen). HT: 7-10
And in cricket news such as Australia for the 1st time since 2001, win the Ashes on English soil against England after the 5th & final test match at The Oval in London had been drawn (Well, the next Ashes series heads down under in Australia in 2021-22 as Australia will defend the Ashes).
So that is my 310th blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 50th of this year.
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