NPC taster sheds little light

By JOHN GASPARICH

Little light was cast on the fortunes of Taranaki and North Harbour in the upcoming NPC when Taranaki won a friendly 31-25 at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday.

Going from club rugby one week to representative standard the next is a whole new ball game.

Basic errors were hammered, backs given gift chances ran the ball, three of the tries covered some 75m or more, casting doubt on tactics and defence.

Harbour indulged in a chapter of errors. Passes were dropped, tackles missed and kicks charged down. Turnover ball was a sheer delight to a Taranaki pack sporting the likes of Paul Tito, Reece Robinson and Brent Thompson.

Tito turned down a shot at goal under the sticks. Flanker Brent Thompson scored the try from the resulting forward drive. A Harbour scrum fed on the Taranaki 5m line went astray and Mathew Harvey scored at other end of the paddock. Mark Urwin converted the two latter tries and in less than 20 minutes Taranaki led 19-0.

Taranaki may thereafter have piled up a cricket score. But experience in the Harbour lineup dictated otherwise. The front row, Tevita Taumoepeau, Slade McFarland and Tony Woodcock, settled down the scrummaging.

Behind the pack skipper and former All Black Mark Robinson did not have a happy union with new five-eighths partner Tusi Pisi. But another former All Black, Mark Mayerhofler, in midfield and Brad Miller did have solidarity.

The tide turned. Wing Hayden Reid scored a try, Pisi another after a Mayerhofler charge-down opened up the Taranaki line. Nick Evans added a conversion and penalty and Harbour were down only 15-19 at halftime.

The revival continued in the second spell. Evans landed a penalty and converted a second Reid try to put Harbour ahead 25-19.

However, Harbour dropped the tempo, lost the ruck inside the Taranaki 22, then watched the try-scoring move the length of the field. Austin added to the one-point advantage with his second try into injury time.

For Taranaki coaches Colin Cooper and Kieran Crowley there was satisfaction they have a side to mix it with the best in the NPC.

Harbour coaches Russell Jones and Gary Cunningham may rest assured a depleted squad on Saturday will be rejuvenated in the near future through the return, either by injury or Commonwealth Games sevens commitments, of Karl Tenana, Anthony Tuitavake, Craig Newby, Troy Flavell, Matua Parkinson and Luke McAlister.