Mooloos can't buy a win
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:36
Waikato may have avoided their third straight loss in the Air New Zealand Cup competition, but their 38-all draw with Manawatu in their Round Three match in Palmerston North on Thursday also means they are still without a win.
For the third week in a row Waikato was plagued with poor skills, which saw them give up a 22-point lead in the second half - despite outscoring Manawatu by six tries to four.
It was an enormous comeback for Manawatu, who was brought down to earth last week (a 5-18 loss at home to Southland) after their impressive 25-24 First Round win over Canterbury.
However, Waikato - who lost their first two matches of the season to Northland and then Tasman - seemed to have finally broken their drought after scoring four tries in the space of 13 minutes.
They scored one just before half-time, which put them back into the lead at 17-16, and then three in the first 12 minutes of the second half to put the score to 38-16 in their favour.
Manawatu, seeking their first win over Waikato since a 27-13 win in the then NPC in 1987, then took over.
Young first five-eighth (No.10) Aaron Cruden, who replaced Matty James who injured himself after crashing into a post, played a starring role in the fightback along with fullback Francisco Bosch and wings Lote Raikabula and Andre Taylor.
Waikato surged into an early lead with a try to hooker Oli Avei in the third minute after a series of rucks close to the line.
With Manawatu struggling to gain possession, Waikato stretched their lead out to 12 when skipper Liam Messam scored an opportunistic try 10 minutes later, popping over the top of Manawatu ruck on the line to palm the ball down.
Manawatu stayed in touch through two penalties and a fine drop-goal by James. They then took the lead through hooker Rob Foreman whose try finished off a move started by Bosch and carried on by Raikabula.
James' conversion gave Manawatu the lead, but Waikato got their noses in front from the restart, when Oli Avei dotted down after a charge down by lock Toby Lynn.
Two quick tries to second five-eighth (No.13) Jackson Willison and another by wing Tim Mikkelson, two of them converted by Callum Bruce put Waikato 38-16 in front.
But Manawatu showed the grit that helped them upend Canterbury in the first round.
Cruden converted a try by substitute prop David Te Moana and added a penalty, before constructing Raikabula's try with an inside break.
Another Cruden break was finished off by Taylor, who also scored twice in the win over Canterbury.
The scorers:
For Manawatu:
Tries: Taylor, Raikabula,Te Moana, Foreman
Cons: James, Cruden
Pens: James 3
DG: James
For Waikato:
Tries: Mikkelson, Willison 2, Forbes, Avei, Messam
Cons:
Bruce 4
Yellow card: Tom Harding (Waikato - infringement at the ruck)
Teams:
Manawatu: 15 Francisco Bosch, 14 Aaron James, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Frank Bryant, 11 Andre Taylor, 10 Matty James, 9 Aaron Good, 8 Nick Crosswell, 7 Doug Tietjens, 6 Hamish Gosling, 5 Paul Rodgers, 4 Hayden Triggs (captain), 3 Talau Hala, 2 Sean O'Connor, 1 Grant Polson.
Replacements: 16 Rob Foreman, 17 David Te Moana, 18 Adaam Ross, 19 James Goode, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Lote Raikabula.
Waikato: 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Tim Mikkelson, 13 Dwayne Sweeney, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Callum Bruce, 9 David Bason, 8 Liam Messam (captain), 7 Tom Harding, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Aled de Malmanche, 2 Oli Avei, 1 Hikairo Forbes.
Replacements: 16 Craig West, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Kent Fife, 19 Matt Blain, 20 Josh
Sutherland, 21 Trent Renata, 22 Roimata Hansell-Pune.
Referee: Bryce Lawrence
TMO: Kelvin Deaker
Additional reporting by NZPA
