Auckland 22 Taranaki 13
View photosKEY POINTS:
And now it's five from five.
Auckland's progress remains unimpeded after a comfortable win at Eden Park last night to stay top of the Air New Zealand Cup. But they had to roll their sleeves up against a Taranaki side who offered plenty of perspiration, had their moments, but lacked a sharp finishing touch.
Auckland made hard work of their decisive territorial edge, but things got better after a talking to at the interval. The closing minutes were given over to Auckland's unsuccessful push for a bonus point fourth try, the final action instead being a belated try to Taranaki wing Paul Perez.
American football has its Hail Mary passes - those big, looping hurlers from halfway which are despatched in desperation with a prayer for a safe landing.
Auckland played their version of that in the first half, pushing out so many half-baked passes that coach Pat Lam would have been rubbing his eyes wondering if this was the group of players who have set the standards so far.
Auckland discovered Taranaki had come to play, and the visitors not only turned up with a muscular defensive plan but were quick to latch onto any opportunities to press upfield.
In Nathan Hohaia, cousin of Warrior Lance, they have a centre with an eye for a gap and the ability to make use of it. Three times the New Zealand Maori league representative cut holes in Auckland's defence, two offering distinct tryscoring possibilities.
Flankers Jarrod Hoeata and Scott Waldrom churned through the work, the scrum plugged away but all they had to show for their efforts were a couple of Scott Ireland penalties until the final moments.
And Auckland? Jerome Kaino, Troy Flavell and Daniel Braid were a loose forward combination of raw power and strong defence. Kaino pulled off a try-saving tackle early in the second half, while Flavell, in his first game of the year at No 6, was outstanding. He won buckets of lineout ball and thundered round the park.
Braid simply did what he's been doing all year, piles of perspiration, a key man at the breakdowns.
Halfback Taniela Moa was a handful and Tuitupou and lively winger David Smith had their moments.
But the first half did cause heads to be scratched. Auckland's only first half try came from a solo effort by captain Sam Tuitupou, who had a helping hand from Flavell. On other nights, Flavell might have been pinged for running interference.
Three minutes before halftime referee Gary Wise produced a momentous decision. Moa fed a scrum and Wise peeped his whistle. "Under the feet," he told Moa. A crooked feed had been called, after a rapid examination of the record books, the first in three years.
When loosehead prop Saimone Taumoepeau smuggled the ball across for the second try at the start of the second half, Auckland had the cushion they needed. Ward's conversion took him past 500 first-class points.
Replacement Brad Mika's close range effort, combined with overwhelming territorial superiority in the second spell, made sure there would be no late alarms.
Auckland 22 (S. Tuitupou, S. Taumoepeau, B. Mika tries; B. Ward pen, 2 con)
Taranaki 13 (P. Perez try; S. Ireland 2 pen, con). Halftime: 10-6
