First five Jack Debreczeni takes some effort to stop as he runs straight at the Counties Manukau defence.
Photo/Getty Images
First five Jack Debreczeni takes some effort to stop as he runs straight at the Counties Manukau defence.
Photo/Getty Images
note>By Imran Ali
It was a bit loose at times but always compelling and it looked as though Northland revealed all their training secrets in their win over Counties Manukau.
With four wins and an equal number of losses so far this Mitre 10 Cup season, the Taniwha went to sleep in the second half against Hawke's Bay and leaked 31 points in their loss.
But they woke up from their slumber four days later and put up a tenacious defence to pip Counties Manukau in Pukekohe on Sunday.
In horse racing parlance, Northland have been lightly raced in Napier on Wednesday.
However, they found their stride against Counties Manukau on Sunday and hopefully ramp up their speed with two games remaining.
Scott Gregory of Northland competes for the ball against Sione Molia during their Mitre 10 Cup match.
Photo/ Getty Images
Up next on Saturday for the Cambridge Blue are the thoroughbreds from Waikato, who are leading the Championship race with 28 points.
Northland showed in Pukekohe they can punch above their weight and have among their pack Rene Ranger who showed how powerful and quick he is and who can also offload in tackles.
Two left foot steps as the Manukau defence scrambled to contain him before he offloaded to halfback Jono Kitto to score under the post.
But Counties Manukau replied not long after a fortuitous bounce off a chip kick by Luteru Laulala was gathered by centre Orbyn Leger who drew two defenders before offloading to Sione Molia to score.
Referee Ben O'Keeffe was playing advantage preceding Molia's try after Northland loosie Kara Pryor took an opposition player in the air in a lineout.
Northland wing Jordan Hyland cuts open the Counties Manukau defence on his way to scoring a try.
Photo/Getty Images
Josh Goodhue also got on the scoreboard for Northland, burrowing over from a ruck with No 8 Jaycob Matiu in support.
Northland were happy to change tack - keeping it tight with good use of the forwards marshalled well by Pryor and Goodhue as well as playing wide with Jack Debreczeni and Ranger featuring prominently in those moves.
The hosts did not offer much creativity or tactical nous for the most part and began chasing the game with about 30 minutes to go but were met with brilliant scrambling defence by Northland.
Pinned in their 22m for long period of the first spell, there was no way out for the Steelers and their scrum was a lost cause entirely.
Counties Manukau were guilty of not utilising the speed of wingers Toni Pulu, in-form Tevita Nabura, Molia and Etene Nanai-Seturo and the width they had out wide. The visitors started the second spell strongly.
A superb set piece move saw wing Jordan Hyland receive an inside ball in midfield to run into a hole and score.
Flanker Fotu Lokotui touched down for Counties Manukau from a short lineout drive.
Then, multiple phases of attack was rewarded for the hosts when the ball emerged with replacement lock Viliame Rarasea tapping the ball which was waved on by Leger to his outside, allowing Pulu to score out wide.
Debreczeni's power boot proved to be decisive, with the first five converting all three tries and nailing a penalty.
