Rugby: Magpies dash Northland shield dreams

Mathew Wright of Northland is tackled by Ihaia West of Hawke's Bay during the team's round-one ITM Cup match. Photo / Getty

Hawke's Bay 39 Northland 10

Northland went down 39-10 to a defiant Hawke's Bay side in their first ITM Cup match of 2015 yesterday in Napier.

With the Ranfurly Shield on the line, the Taniwha departed for Napier with an extra spring in their step on Saturday. However, they'll arrive back in Whangarei today empty-handed.

The Magpies opened the scoring with a try to flanker Tony Lamborn before the third minute. First five-eighth Ihaia West then succeeded with the conversion.

West extended the Magpies' lead to 10-0 with a ninth-minute penalty.

The nearly 400 Taniwha supporters at McLean Park were on their feet in the 11th minute when halfback Kurt Davies appeared to have scored, only to have the TMO rule the ball had been knocked on during the build-up.

The Magpies' forwards were dominating set-piece play and that was a signal to use the rolling maul that led to an 18th-minute try to lock Michael Allardice.

Northland first five-eighth Dan Hawkins opened the visitors' account with a 29th-minute penalty. However, their faint hopes of a comeback were dashed when Magpies winger Ryan Tongia won the dash to a clever kick ahead from fullback Zac Guildford to give the Magpies a 27-3 lead at halftime.

Lamborn had his second try and the Magpies' third off a rolling maul in the 48th minute.

Five minutes later Tongia had his second try after a powerful burst from lock Mark Abbott.

West was on target with the conversion from wide out and the Magpies led 39-3.

With numerous substitutions the Magpies didn't enjoy the same cohesion during the final quarter but they still broke the advantage line with ease. Northland's substitute back Troy Gilbert scored his side's only try in the 79th minute but the damage had been done. "I thought we really struggled to get things going on attack at times," Northland head coach Richie Harris said. "We're desperate to try [to] get some attack shape. We really struggled to get that. It's a bit of a desire and attitude thing around that as well. Hawke's Bay really brought in their set piece which we really struggled to deal with."

Hawkins had played well in the pivot role but had immense pressure poured on him from the get-go and with concerns remaining over Northland's inability to bust the advantage line, Harris and assistant coach Dale MacLeod will return to the drawing board, ahead of their round-two match against Southland at Toll Stadium this weekend, for a rethink.

Hawke's Bay 39 (Tony Lamborn 2, Ryan Tongia 2, Michael Allardice, Ash Dixon, tries; Ihaia West 3 cons, pen), Northland 10 (Troy Gilbert try; Dan Hawkins pen, con). HT: 27-3.