Well, here is the review of the 8th round of the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season:
Tasman's 40-0 thumping of Auckland has left the defending champions facing the demand of beating Southland and Taranaki in remaining weeks of the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership if they are to reach the playoffs.
Tasman are seven points clear of Wellington who have 31 points, while Canterbury are in third on 25 points while North Harbour are on 21. Two points clear of Auckland, North Harbour face a much tougher finish having to play Wellington and Canterbury.
In the Championship, Bay of Plenty's win over Hawke's Bay has closed up the margin between the two who are now separated by three points. Six points back are Otago while another seven points in arrears are Taranaki.
Mitre 10 Cup – Week 8
Taranaki 19 Southland 0
Dogged Southland first half defence suggested they were going to cause all manner of trouble for Taranaki in New Plymouth during a scoreless first half, but six minutes into the second the breakthrough came for the home side with wing Waisake Naholo and fullback – Potroz racing down the right sideline before sending ball infield via Sean Wainui who saw Teihorangi Walden in for the try. A superb angle run by first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta off the back of a long lineout throw opened up the chance for wing Jackson Ormond and then Naholo got home for the third to end the game southern effort.
Scorers: Taranaki 19 (Teihorangi Walden, Jackson Ormond, Waisake Naholo tries; Stephen Perofeta 2 con) Southland 0. HT: 0-0
Tasman 40 Auckland 0
Appropriately the Tasman Makos sniffed Auckland blood in the water at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on Friday and they fed on a defending champion Auckland side who were left to ponder whether they will even make the playoffs in this year's competition. Tasman took Auckland on up front and won, and when the backs had their moments they outclassed their rivals with wing Leicester Fainga'anuku demonstrating why he has created so much interest in lower levels of the game while fullback David Havili's run to set up Fainga'anuku's first try was superb. It is going to take a resilient and innovative side to knock Tasman off their stride.
Scorers: Tasman 40 (Andrew Makalio, Ethan Blackadder, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Finlay Christie, Sione Havili Talitui, Hugh Roach tries; Mitch Hunt 5 con) Auckland 0. HT: 19-0
Bay of Plenty 51 Hawke's Bay 24
This result kept the Mitre 10 Championship well and truly alive as Bay of Plenty inflicted the first defeat on Hawke's Bay and moved within three points on the competition ladder. Unleashing a devastating first half assault in which they got out to a 31-0 lead, Bay of Plenty only needed to keep their heads to claim the win. Hawke's Bay did post 24 points, including four tries to salvage a bonus point from the loss, but the honours and confidence should they meet in the playoffs were all with Bay of Plenty. Chase Tiatia cashing in for three tries and Joe Ravouvou for two.
Scorers: Bay of Plenty 51 (Chase Tiatia 3, Joe Ravouvou 2, Kaleb Trask, Mitch Karpik, Tevita Mafileo tries: Trask 4 con, pen) Hawke's Bay 24 (Danny Toala, Geoffrey Cridge, Ollie Sapsford, Marino Mikaele Tu'u tries; Lincoln McClutchie 2 con). HT: 31-0
Wellington 57 Northland 36
Good as Northland looked when opening the scoring with a driving maul try, and then a startling midfield run by replacement Aorangi Stokes, they weren't able to match the dazzle that Wellington turned on via centre Vince Aso, wing Wes Goosen and skipper and flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi, who scored twice as a result of being in perfect supporting position. And in the second half replacement wing Pepesana Patafilo showed his class in crossing twice, the second from a move started in Wellington's 22m area.
Scorers: Wellington 57 (Vince Aso, Du'Plessis Kirifi 2, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Wes Goosen, Josh Furno, Pepesana Patafilo 2 tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 7 con, pen) Northland 36 (Aorangi Stokes 2, Paddy-Joe Atkins, Jonty Rae, Jack Debreczeni tries; Debreczeni 4 con, pen). HT: 22-15
Canterbury 38 Counties Manukau 5
Crusaders halfback Mitchell Drummond had a big night out for Canterbury in their win over Counties Manukau in Christchurch. It was his goalline tackle that set up the maul in which the ball was transferred to loosie Brodie McAlister to score the first try and then Drummond scored twice on the back of grinding forward play to give Canterbury their 19-0 halftime lead. And his double round move early in the second half produced a try for win Dallas McLeod on the end of Drummond's long pass. Counties had a tough night as a result with their only try coming in the 78th minute.
Scorers: Canterbury 38 (Mitchell Drummond 2, Sam Gilbert 2, Brodie McAlister, Dallas McLeod tries; Brett Cameron 4 con) Counties Manukau 5 (Chris Kuridrani try ). HT: 19-0
Otago 45 Waikato 35
Otago lived to fight another day when seeing off a potentially strong challenge from Waikato for the Ranfurly Shield, but a disorganised first quarter did not help the challengers' cause and Otago made the most to put 20 points on the board. Waikato, typically, did come back with more direct play to get within six points at the turn. But the magical work of Vilimoni Koroi and Jona Nareki took the Shield holders out to a lead they were not prepared to relinquish. Waikato got a bonus point and could still prove to be of nuisance value in the playoffs hunt while Otago now face old rival Canterbury in their final Shield challenge of the year.
Scorers: Otago 45 (Slade McDowell, Vilimoni Koroi 2, Jona Nareki, Aleki Morris, Henry Purdy tries; Josh Ioane 3 con, 3 pen) Waikato 35 (Simon Parker, Samisone Taukei'aho 2, Mitchell Jacobson tries; Penalty try; Fletcher Smith 4 con). HT: 20-14.
Manawatu 16 North Harbour 29
Well judged running lines in spring-like conditions resulted in several of the tries posted in Palmerston North as North Harbour secured a win that lifted them into the top four of the Premiership. Centre Adam Boult started the try scoring with his line for Manawatu but it was the set up for North Harbour centre Asaeli Tikoirotuma that set the northerners on their winning way. Fullback Matt Duffie and wing Mark Telea followed up as well while the outside track proved rewards for prop Sione Mafileo and replacement back Fine Inisi.
Scorers: Manawatu 16 (Adam Boult, Otere Black tries; Black 2 pen) North Harbour 29 (Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Sione Mafileo, Matt Duffie, Mark Telea, Fine Inisi tries; Matt McGahan 2 con). HT: 11-12
So that is my 315th blog of the year 2019 (MMXIX) & my 55th of this year.
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