Auckland stage massive comeback to draw with Waikato

Roimata Hansell-Pune is tackled to the ground by Loki Chrichton of Waikato. Phil Walter / Getty Images

Auckland 22 Waikato 22

Waikato buried Auckland in the first half with 19 unanswered points but the made the mistake of not finishing them off in their Air New Zealand Cup top-six rugby match in Auckland tonight.

The home side picked themselves off the Eden Park turf and gave back as good as they got.

The 22-22 draw was perhaps a fair result for both teams as the second stage of the competition got underway, but Auckland were better off -- gaining three points for scoring a bonus point-earning fourth try.

Auckland surprisingly dominated the game in both halves. They had a clear upper hand in every statistic in the first half -- including possession, number of rucks and mauls and territory except the tackle count and scores.

Winger Roy Kinikinilau (fifth minute), replacement winger Dwayne Sweeney (12th) and No 8 Liam Messam (20th) scored a try each and David hill converted two to put Waikato into a 19-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Auckland's didn't appear to have a structure to their game and turned over possession in the tackle and lineout.

The number of tackles Waikato brought off though, with players such as loose forwards Marty Holah, Messam and captain Steven Bates in the heart of their game, told the story of the defence that thwarted numerous Auckland moves just as they got started.

Rookie first five-eighth Lachie Munro lacked confidence and threw a long pass that was intercepted by Sweeney for Waikato's second try.

His opposite William Ripia, in comparison, kicked well and showed some fine touches.

The complexion of the game changed completely in the second half and Munro started to show the promise he was picked for .

With powerful players such as Andrew Blowers, Brad Mika when he came on, Saimone Taumoepeau, Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino providing the momentum, Auckland roared into the game and scored four unanswered tries of their own by the 62nd minute.

Blowers set the platform for lock Kurtis Haiu's try in the 46th minute, Bates was sinbinned in the 50th minute and Taumoepeau got Auckland's second try a minute later. Kaino powered through the defence 10 minutes later as Auckland starved Waikato of possession and Mika finished it off with a try, and just two minutes later exciting winger David Smith took a pass on the short side of a scrum, chipped overhead and won the race to the bounce for their fourth try and a 22-19 lead.

Hill then equalled the scores with a long penalty kick into the breeze and Waikato came back at Auckland to raid their line but were stopped short by a Munro tackle on Jono Gibbes.

Auckland 22 (Kurtis Haiu, Saimone Taumoepeau, Brad Mika, David Smith tries; Ben Atiga con)
Waikato 22 (Roy Kinikinilau, Dwayne Sweeney, Liam Messam tries; David Hill pen, 2 con).
HT: 0-19