Lions steal a march on Taranaki
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:25
The Wellington Lions fought off a determined challenge from Taranaki, but ultimately won through to the Air New Zealand Cup semifinals with a tense 50-30 victory at a sunny Westpac Stadium on Saturday.
The win in an 11-try thriller means the Lions have earned themselves the right to host one of the semifinals.
They will now wait for the outcome of the remaining two quarterfinal games - between Bay of Plenty and Southland later on Saturday, as well as between Hawke's Bay and Waikato on Sunday - to find out who they will host at the top four stage next weekend.
Despite the 20-point winning margin, the Lions were made to work hard for their 19th successive NPC/Air NZ Cup win in Wellington - which is also a record-equalling 10th win in a single season, previously achieved in 1986 and 2007.
In a tightly contested encounter against an adventurous and gallant Taranaki side, the Lions only made sure of their third consecutive ANZ Cup home quarterfinal win when centre Tamati Ellison crossed for their sixth try in the 75th minute.
Ellison finished off a lightning counterattack started from halfway by Lions Man of the Match Cory Jane fielding a high kick from fullback, and also involving exciting right wing Buxton Popoalii.
Ellison's try extended the Lions' lead to 41-30 with flyhalf Piri Weepu's sideline conversion to come, after Taranaki right wing Paul Perez had previously scored to bring his side to within six points of the lead for the third time in the second half.
No.8 Thomas Waldrom was then able to put the icing on the cake by crashing over the chalk with the last act of the game, Weepu's conversion bringing up 50 points to add to the previous two Wellington-Taranaki matches in Wellington that saw 73-28 and 53-12 Lions victories in 2004 and 2007.
The second half had seen tit-for-tat scoring throughout, amid numerous turnovers won by both teams and broken field counterattacks - Wellington twice pulling clear of their amber and black visitors, only for Taranaki to respond almost straight away with tries.
The Lions led 22-13 at half-time, Jane scoring two fantastic tries as the Lions outscored Taranaki three tries to one in the first 40 minutes.
Jane opened the scoring in the 5th minute, finishing off a stinging short side injection from an attacking scrum, after loosehead prop John Schwalger had been held up over the line moments earlier.
Taranaki replied in the 10th minute through inside centre Jayden Hayward, finding a hole and running strongly to the line. Flyhalf Willie Ripia kicked the conversion and also added two more penalties in the first half.
Jane and Nonu scored Wellington's second and third tries and Weepu slotted a penalty in between Ripia's penalties, with scrumhalf Alby Mathewson instrumental in both tries.
Jane's second try came from another attacking scrum, but followed a scorching break through Taranaki's short side defence by Mathewson from the set-piece.
Nonu scored in the left hand corner after Mathewson took a quick tap free kick from near halfway and sent lock Ross Filipo away up the touchline in a galloping run and then offloading to Nonu in support.
Ripia kicked his third penalty after half-time to close the gap to 22-16, before the Lions pulled away once more through left wing Hosea Gear, who followed up a Piri Weepu stab kick into the in-goal and coolly touched down for his 12th try of the season.
Taranaki's Paul Perez then scored the first of his two second-half tries as Taranaki closed to 29-23 after 55 minutes.
The Lions kept pressing for opportunities inside Taranaki's half, Gear twice breaking through to almost score again, before the dam of pressure was rewarded in the 68th minute with Filipo again on hand out wide to score in support of a clever pass in the tackle by replacement inside centre Tane Tu'ipulotu.
Weepu's sideline conversion sailed through the uprights to give the Lions a 13-point buffer. But once more Taranaki came back to within a converted try of victory when Perez scored again and set up a potentially explosive finish.
Overall, Wellington has now won 22 and lost two of its 24 NPC/ANZC fixtures with Taranaki since Taranaki won their first encounter in Hawera in 1977 - meaning Wellington has won more NPC/ANZC fixtures against Taranaki than against any other side.
The scorers:
For Wellington Lions:
Tries: Jane 2, Nonu, Gear, Filipo, Ellison, Waldrom
Cons: Weepu 6
Pen: Weepu
For Taranaki:
Tries: Perez 2, Haywood
Cons: Ripia 3
Ripia: Ripia 3
Teams:
Wellington: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Buxton Popoali'i, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Piri
Weepu (captain), 9 Alby Matthewson; 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Chris Masoe, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Dane Coles, 1 John Schwalger.
Replacements: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Jacob Ellison, 18 Api Naikatini, 19 Rodney So'oialo, 20 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 21 Michael Hobbs, 22 Tane Tu'ipulotu.
Taranaki: 15 Jack Cameron, 14 Paul Perez, 13 Nathan Hohaia, 12 Jayden Hayward, 11 Shayne Austin, 10 Willie Ripia, 9 Brett Goodin, 8 Taiasina Tuifua, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Chris Walker, 5 Craig Clarke, 4 Jason Eaton, 3 Shane Cleaver, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Penn (captain).
Replacements: 16 Laurence Corlett, 17 Hamish Mitchell, 18 Leon Power, 19 Nemia Soqeta, 20 Brendan Haami, 21 Isaia Tuifua, 22 Corey Niwa.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
Touch judges: Kelvin Deaker, Josh Noonan
TMO: Keith Brown
