Auckland 30 Taranaki 10
KEY POINTS:
Still feeling the effects of a stomach bug that swept through the squad this week, Auckland managed to summon up enough energy to beat Taranaki 30-10 in a lack-lustre Air NZ Cup rugby quarterfinal in Auckland tonight.
A pale imitation tonight of the side that wrested the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury last week, Auckland scored four tries to one to line up a semifinal meeting next weekend with the winner of tomorrow's Hawke's Bay-Waikato match.
Auckland first five-eighth Isa Nacewa was easily the man of the match as he scored two tries, one a brilliant 50m solo effort, and kicked two penalties and two conversions for 20 of his side's points.
Fullback Scott Ireland scored all of Taranaki's tally with a converted try and a penalty.
Taranaki, who troubled Auckland before losing 13-22 in pool play, were unable to control the match for any length of time because of a high number of unforced errors.
It seemed Auckland would rack up a score at least the equal of Canterbury (44-6 over Otago) and Wellington (45-3 over Southland) when hooker Tom McCartney crossed for a try in just the third minute.
But the match quickly degenerated into a messy affair as Auckland consistently failed to make their passes count while Taranaki scrambled to defend.
However Taranaki took the lead, albeit shortlived when off a turnover, second five-eight Matt Harvey broke the line with his pass finding midfield partner Nathan Hohaia.
Hohaia juggled the pass before off loading to Ireland who scampered 20m to score and then convert his own try.
Auckland's reply was instant. Moments after the kickoff, Auckland won the ball and Nacewa took off on an electrifying run to ended 50m later with a touchdown which he converted for a 12-7 lead at halftime.
Nacewa opened the second half with a penalty, scored a second try after a fine wraparound of second five-eighth Sam Tuitupou and added another penalty before Ireland landed a penalty for Taranaki.
Taranaki, showing little of their reknowned passion, particularly in the forwards, possessed little in their tactical armoury to pressure their opponents and it was fullback Brent Ward who completed the scoring for Auckland with a late try.
- NZPA
