Rugby: Broken leg puts Weepu out of tour

Piri Weepu of the Lions is stretchered off injured from the field. Photo / Getty Images

Wellington 49 Taranaki 15

Anyone who has played the game of rugby knows how different the positions of halfback and first five-eighth are; forever linked but worlds apart.

Which makes it all the more impressive that Piri Weepu filled both sets of boots so competently - and all the sadder that the broken leg he suffered last night robbed him of the All Black northern tour.

It's only a year or so since Weepu looked to be moving ever closer to the unlovely title of 'former' All Black. There was talk of league; of an overseas rugby posting; tales of dissatisfaction with warming the All Black bench. Whatever he felt then, Weepu's decision to stay has been a good one - for him and New Zealand rugby.

Until last night.

ITM Cup standings

Watching him, for the second week in a row, morph from a halfback to the game director and conductor that is a good first five, it was impossible not to feel that the chunky No 10 was the difference between two sides.

It was also impossible not to feel profoundly sorry for him when he went down in a tangle and had to be carted off with a obviously painful break.

Weepu has added some deft touches to his pivot play. A dab kick here, a searching grubber there, a little Piri pirouette to go with the searching passing he has always possessed at either 9 or 10 - Weepu was Wellington's rhythm.

A dinky little kick saw winger Alapati Leiua gather to score the first try; his pass to Ma'a Nonu saw the All Black midfielder halfway round the defence to set up fullback Apoua Stewart for the second - and the only fault you could ascribe to Weepu at that stage was that he didn't master the blustery winds for the sideline conversions.

That kept Taranaki in it and when Weepu's opposite Willie Ripia threw a Weepu-style long pass to Justin Hayward, the winger stepped around a defender for a typically robust Naki try and they were back in it at 10-8.

But if it's not one All Black halfback, it's another for Wellington. Alby Mathewson showed his pace off the mark in one attack where the Taranaki defence tried to cover all the angles - all except the one where Mathewson showed them the ball before scuttling through the gap like a scalded cat.

Wellington began strongly in the second half, a Weepu penalty making it 20-8 before Weepu tried one clever little grubber too many and got tangled up with the legs of a defender.

It made little difference. Young first five Lima Sopoaga looks a real prospect and, after the long pause to take Weepu off the field, Wellington struck almost instantly. Leiua was prominent in two raids before delivering a scoring pass to centre Tajhon Mailata.

They followed up with a try to flanker Scott Fuglistaller and a penalty and, at 37-8, the game was as over as Weepu's tour.

The match had begun as a vital encounter for both sides. Win and semifinals rugby was, if not assured, then far more likely. Lose and the logjam at the top may present an impenetrable barrier.

However, the evening also presented Mathewson with a way through another barrier - entry to the All Black halfback ranks. He shapes as the most likely cover for Weepu, probably ahead of Canterbury's Andy Ellis.

Mathewson did well, including that electric break for his try, but was subbed off after the hour, probably to ensure that Wellington do, in fact, have at least one All Black halfback.

Taranaki, as ever, were willing and physical and the Wellington forwards had work to do to overcome their opposites. They will almost certainly not agree with the analysis that Weepu was the difference, even had he stayed on the field.

Victor Vito put in some punishing carries and bursts; Jeremy Thrush got through some good work at lock, as did John Schwalger at prop and hooker Dane Coles seems to be regaining the oomph that got him into All Black considerations not all that long ago.

Taranaki managed a consolation try to fullback Scott Ireland and they brought on their own little supplier of electricity to the national grid - young first five Beauden Barrett - to try to spark something.

But this was Wellington's night, capped by tries to Ma'a Nonu and Charlie Ngatai.

It just wasn't Weepu's.

Wellington 49 (A. Leiua, A. Stewart, A. Mathewson, T. Mailata, S. Fuglistaller, M. Nonu, C. Ngatai tries; P. Weepu con, pen; L. Sopoaga 4 con, pen), Taranaki 15 (J. Hayward, S. Ireland tries, W. Ripia con, pen). Halftime: 17-8.