Mooloo step up and sink Auckland
Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:15
Waikato found some emphatic form on Friday night to help turn their season around, after a comprehensive 34-13 Air New Zealand Cup victory over Auckland in Hamilton.
The home side ran in four tries to Auckland's two, picking up a coveted bonus point to put the Mooloo men's 2008 campaign back on track, with All Blacks Sione Lauaki and Stephen Donald standing out and dominating all aspects of the game.
Auckland fullback Lachie Munro scored the first points of the evening with an easy penalty, while Waikato fought straight back to score an impressive try through wing Tim Mikkelson - which Donald successfully converted, to give Waikato a 7-3 lead after 12 minutes.
After some valiant defence on their tryline, Auckland ran in a try against the run of play when centre Ben Atiga slid over the line and put Auckland back in front.
A Donald penalty in the 22nd minute off a collapsed Auckland scrum however helped the hosts reclaim the lead, who began to look the far more dangerous of the two sides as the Mooloos chipped away at Auckland and put on some real pressure.
Big Mooloo No.8 Lauaki seemed to have finally found some form, terrorising the visitors with outstanding tackle-breaking and ball-running.
Donald showed his class with a successful chip and re-gather to score Waikato's second try of the evening.
Waikato went into the interval with a 17-8 and looked confidently on the front foot.
Donald opened the second-half scoring sheet with another penalty in the 50th minute, giving the hosts a 12-point buffer over the defending champs.
Lauaki then took control again, stealing the ball from a ruck and sprinting downfield before passing to inside centre Callum Bruce who scored Waikato's third of the evening, which Donald converted (27-8).
Munro picked up a crucial try for Auckland in the 68th minute, exploiting an overlap to score in the corner. Time was working against Auckland, as the visitors then put together some of their best play of the evening in the dying stages of the game.
The Mooloo men however had the final say of the night, with Lauaki off-loading to pace man Soseni Anesi on the wing who sprinted down the sideline, before passing inside to hooker Ole Avei who scored the hosts bonus-point fourth try.
Donald executed yet another successful conversion just moments before the full-time whistle, helping Waikato claim their first win of the season.
Scorers:
For Waikato:
Tries: Mikkelson, Donald, Bruce, Avei
Cons: Donald 4
Pens: Donald 2
For Auckland:
Tries: Atiga, Munro
Pen: Munro
Teams:
Waikato: 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Tim Mikkelson, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Stephen
Donald, 9 Malcolm Barnes, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Tom Harding, 6 Liam Messam (captain), 5 Kevin O’Neill, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Toby Smith, 2 Vern Kamo, 1 Hikairo Forbes.
Replacements: 16 Ole Avei, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Kent Fife, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Josh Sutherland, 21 Dwayne Sweeney, 22 James Kamana.
Auckland: 15 Lachie Munro, 14 Simon Munro, 13 Ben Atiga (captain), 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Isaia Toeava, 9 Taniela Moa, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Kurtis Haiu, 5 Jay Williams, 4 Chris Lowrey, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Nick White.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Paea Fa'anunu, 18 Dean Budd, 19 Onosa'i Auva'a, 20 Grayson Hart, 21 Jamie Helleur, 22 Winston Stanley.
Referee: Steve Walsh
Television match official: Ben Skeen
