Wellington juggernaut rolls on
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:19
The Wellington Lions maintained their 100 percent record in Air New Zealand Cup competition by posting an impressive 64-7 win over Counties-Manukau at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Friday.
With 15 standings points out of a possible 15 the Lions have opened a handy six-point lead over the only other unbeaten team in the competition - second placed Bay of Plenty. The BoP Steamers still have to play their Round Three match - they face North Harbour on Saturday - but can't catch the Lions this week.
Wing Hosea Gear scored three of the Lions' nine tries in their rout over Counties on Friday, while first five-eighth (No.10) Fa'atonu Fili kicked eight conversion from nine attempts and a penalty for 19 points - as the Lions continued their perfect start to the season.
Gear scored two tries in the first half and one in the second as the Lions roared into life and raced to a 28-0 lead after 24 minutes, securing their four-try bonus point in the process.
The Lions then added one more before half-time followed by four more after the interval to seal an emphatic win over the Steelers and become the first Lions side since 1996 to win their first three matches of the Championship season.
The win was also the highest against Counties Manukau in 26 matches now played since 1976, surpassing the 47-0 victory against them the only other time they have met at Westpac Stadium in 2001.
Joining Gear in the try scoring circle were flanks Serge Lilo and Victor Vito, lock and captain Jeremy Thrush, second five-eighth (No.12) Michael Hobbs, scrumhalf Alby Mathewson and his replacement Tomasi Palu.
The Lions were fluid and enterprising in all areas of attack, running in tries from set-pieces, backline movements and from broken play - highlight being Gear's length of the field second try from a turnover on Wellington's own tryline.
Their organised and hard-hitting defence was equally effective in restricting a gallant Counties side to just one converted try.
Gear scored the first try in the left hand corner in just the second minute of play as the Lions moved the ball across both sides of the field inside Counties' 22. A free kick penalty was awarded near the posts and the ball was moved through fast hands to Gear to score, with Fili adding the extras from the sideline.
The appreciative crowd didn't have to wait long for three more tries, the scoring action coming thick and fast over the next 20 minutes.
Lilo and Thrush combined twice to steal defensive Counties line-outs and cross the chalk, while the dynamic Vito brilliantly reeled in a pass behind his back and sliced through a gap to score his try.
Lilo scored off the shoulder of Thrush, who leaped high to take the Counties ball, and surged through the middle of the set-piece to find space for Lilo.
Next it was the turn of Lilo to return the favour to Thrush, Lilo pouncing on an overthrown Counties line-out, surging ahead and offloading to a jubilant Thrush in support.
The bonus point secured, Fili added a penalty in the 27th minute, before the fireworks resumed through Gear who finished off an end-to-end try when he chased through a kick ahead from his own line, and he and second five-eighth Michael Hobbs twice hacked ahead a loose ball from the halfway line.
Gear almost scored his third try just before half-time, but was bundled into touch on the sound of the half-time hooter after another counter attack from deep inside the Lions' territory.
He also missed out again three minutes into the second half, unable to reel in his kick and chase towards the try line, instead Hobbs chasing through and scoring after a Counties hand in the tackle of Gear had knocked the ball back. Fili's fifth conversion made it 45-0 after almost as many minutes.
The Steelers dug deep over the remainder of the contest, showing more determination on attack and more resolve in their defence and were rewarded with a try to second five-eighth Romi Ropati.
The Lions quickly replied with a try to Mathewson, who raced up the blindside from an attacking scrum to push the score past 50 points, while Gear and Palu completed the excellent win with two more tries in the last ten minutes.
The Scorers:
For Wellington Lions:
Tries: Gear 3, Lilo, Vito, Thrush, Hobbs, Mathewson, Palu
Cons: Fili 8
Pen: Fili
For Counties-Manukau:
Try: Ropati
Con: Cummins
Teams:
Wellington: 15 Cory Jane, 14 Joe Hill, 13 Tane Tu'ipulotu, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Fa'atonu Fili, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Victor Vito, 5 Api Naikatini, 4 Jeremy Thrush (captain), 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Jacob Ellison.
Replacements: 16 Eugene Smith, 17 John Schwalger, 18 Chris Middleton or Scott Fuglistaller, 19 Chris Masoe, 20 Tomasi Palu, 21 Tu Umaga-Marshall, 22 Buxton Popoali'i.
Counties Manukau: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Niva Ta'auso (captain), 12 Romi Ropati, 11 Siale Piutau, 10 Dean Cummins, 9 Kevin Farrell, 8 Fritz Lee, 7 DJ Forbes, 6 Viliame Fihaki, 5 Andrew Van der Heijden, 4 Jamie Chipman, 3 Jayden Murch, 2 Lance Po-Ching, 1 Simon Lemalu.
Replacements: 16 Cody Martin, 17 Robert Katu, 18 Rupeni Nasiga, 19 Gary Saifoloi, 20 Samisoni Fisilau, 21 Tanner Vili, 22 David Raikuna.
Referee: Kelvin Deaker
TMO: Brent Murray
