Auckland win the battle of the bridge

Auckland, with a few more polished players than their rivals across the bridge, beat North Harbour 27-10 in their NPC first division rugby match at Albany tonight.


They led 13-3 at halftime and added two tries to one in the second half. The rest of the time they shut down their stuttering neighbours with a stout defence across the field.


While Harbour found the defence in their face, they lost possession constantly and looked like lacking a plan B in the second half.


Players such as second five-eighth Isa Nacewa, who played previously as a fullback or winger, fullback Brent Ward, winger Doug Howlett, first five-eighth Tasesa Lavea and forwards Angus MacDonald, Brad Mika, Daniel Braid, Justin Collins and Saimone Taumoepeau made the difference for Auckland by paying better attention to the basics.


Winger Tony Koonwaiyou scored in the 10th minute when Auckland moved quickly in a counter-attack after second five-eighth Isa Nacewa dislodged the ball from Harbour captain Rua Tipoki in a tackle.


Tipoki's handling wasn't up to scratch and some of his options at midfield often made it more difficult for his team.


Lavea kicked intelligently whenever space was closed down but Harbour, in similar situations, tried to gain ground with ball in hand and in the process lost possession to the more experienced Auckland loose forwards.


Ward kicked two penalty goals and converted Koonwaiyou's try to give his team a 10-point buffer at halftime.


Mika was put clear for Auckland's second try in just the second minute of the second half through the speed of their attack via the hands of Taumoepeau, MacDonald and replacement halfback Taniela Moa.


Ward converted to put Auckland 20-3 ahead.


Harbour's constant battering on the defence for a period paid off and flanker Brent Wilson scored, the result of halfback Junior Poluleuligaga inpassing to winger Zar Lawrence, who off-loaded to Wilson.


The class act of the game came in the 58th minute when Nacewa earned Auckland five points after they won a clean lineout.


Moa sent out a cut-out pass which Nacewa took and beat Tusi Pisi from the edge of the 22 for their third try.


Ward converted for his 12 points.


Replacement back Jamie Helleur could have earned Auckland a bonus point with a fourth try. He was held up over the line once and then dived on a bouncing ball but failed to force it in the dying minutes.


Auckland 27 (Tony Koonwaiyou, Brad Mika, Isa Nacewa tries; Brent Ward 2 pen, 3 con)


North Harbour 10 (Brent Wilson try; Andrew Whiteman pen, con).


Halftime: 13-3.


- NZPA