Bullring try fest for Taranaki fans

Taranaki 55 Counties Manukau 22

Taranaki outgunned Counties Manukau in a nine-try-to-three romp in New Plymouth.

It was not faultless rugby from the home side, but many of the handling errors which punctuated the previous week's loss to North Harbour were absent.

It also provided coach Colin Cooper with an ideal dress rehearsal for Friday night's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury in Christchurch.

With the Taranaki tight five destroying their opposites in the scrums, and the loose forwards ensuring Taranaki won the rucks and mauls by four-to-one, the platform was set to launch attack after attack.

By halftime, Taranaki had a bonus point for scoring four tries, thanks to those from halfback Brendan Haami, fullback Daryl Lilley, hooker Andrew Hore and flanker Brent Thompson.

Taranaki could not have wished for a better start to the second half, with tries by captain Andy Slater and second five-eighths Mepi Faoagali.

A second try by Lilley and tries by man-of-the-match Campbell Feather and lock Paul Tito completed the misery for Counties Manukau.

The visitors finished with three tries, but it was too little, too late and the side now have a week off before tackling Bay of Plenty in Tauranga which should decide which team is automatically relegated.

Counties Manukau lacked enough ball to be a real threat, although winger Patrick Petelo showed plenty of pace to score a try.

- NZPA