RUGBY - Vainikolo brilliance not enough to inspire victory

A brilliant solo try from flying winger Fetu Vainikolo got the crowd roaring, but 5000 Northland rugby fans eventually left disappointed after watching their team lose to Taranaki 22-20 at Homeworld Stadium in Whangarei on Saturday.
Vainikolo blasted past several Taranaki defenders in a withering dash for the tryline early in the second half, a try that pitched Northland back into the battle after trailing 22-10 at halftime.
When replacement back Josh Levi produced his own piece of eye-catching try-scoring magic 10 minutes later - a heart-stopping chip, chase and regather play - it looked like Northland were on track for a victory.
But the combination of injury and Taranaki's resolute defence saw the visiting side hold on for a hard-earned win, a result that has pitched Northland into a desperate dance to try to secure a place in the Air NZ Cup quarterfinals this year.
Northland lost lock Dan Goodwin early in the match with a badly sprained ankle then were hit harshly when hardman Jake Paringatai shuffled off just before halftime with a damaged shoulder.
But the real damage was done during a lacklustre opening gambit when Taranaki scored two tries in 20 minutes, the first from muscular No.8 Tomasi Soqeta who swatted away four defenders on his way to the tryline and the second after winger Shayne Austin grabbed an intercept on halfway.
"I'm not sure what happened at the start," Northland skipper Justin Collins said. "We just weren't in it and missed too many tackles at crucial times. When we finally did get our act together it was good but, by then, we had given up points and couldn't quite get enough back," he said.
When Taranaki halfback Brett Goodin slipped past some shocking weak defence for a third try, Northland were under the hammer and conjured up a try in reply from Vainikolo. But, from the restart, they conceded a fourth touchdown on the stroke of halftime.
The second-half resurgence was hampered by an indecisive referee and some equally reticent line umpires, but ultimately fell flat as Northland were unable to function at lineout time and were constantly under pressure in the scrums.
The final scoreline flattered Northland, Taranaki missing four penalty kicks and watching two conversion attempts bounce off the woodwork.
Things don't get any easier for Northland either. They meet Auckland in round seven of the Air NZ Cup at Homeworld Stadium on Saturday and need at least two wins from the remaining four games to qualify for the quarterfinals.