Auckland 47 Waikato 26
KEY POINTS:
This nation has been feverishly anticipating the World Cup for donkeys now, but the crazy thing is that when it finally kicks off in four weeks, we will all be hankering for the Air New Zealand Cup.
There's just no way that the pool dirge, the pointless pitching of amateurs from Portugal, Romania, Namibia and Georgia against professionals from New Zealand, South Africa and England, is going to produce contests anywhere near as enjoyable as the one at Eden Park last night.
For sure, it was a bit rough around the edges but there was never a dull moment. It was frantic, bustling, dramatic and creative and when John Afoa thundered up the left flank to be sunk by a monster hit from Sione Lauaki, it was cataclysmic.
It was provincial football as we all like to think of it and a timely reminder to the New Zealand Rugby Union that they can bundle the country's best players into man-made franchise packages and make a few bucks, but nothing wins hearts like true tribal contests.
It was a shame that the game not only had to end but also that there had to be a winner.
Waikato had made a heavy investment, through the sniping runs of Brendon Leonard, the composure of Stephen Donald and the commanding work of the pack at the breakdown. All that endeavour deserved something, but sadly for the Mooloo-men, Auckland had more tricks.
They had Ben Atiga in sparkling form. The one-cap All Black played with his head up, jinked, bobbed, dived and rammed things out of his way. His second-half try, which was started by a double chip and chase by Taniela Moa and finished by a Graham Mourie-style dummy, will be a contender for the best of the season.
There was a moment of genius from Isa Nacewa in the first half to rival the Atiga try and Doug Howlett notched his 50th try for Auckland in memorable fashion when he came off his wing to exploit the overlap.
But this was not a performance about individuals.
Auckland won in the end because they set a solid platform in the forwards. They were rock solid at scrum time and Kurtis Haiu delivered a stream of good-quality lineout ball.
They dogged it out at the breakdown against a streetwise Waikato loose trio, much to the annoyance of visiting coach Warren Gatland.
"We have got to have muscle at the breakdown," said Gatland. "We were too high and we were beaten up out wide by a side that were more physical than we were."
The remedy for that, says Gatland, is to spend this week smashing bodies.
Auckland's week will presumably be far lighter after they defended with an aggression and intensity that never relented. They also, for the first time this season, strung together some nice phases in which backs and forwards transferred the ball effortlessly.
It was classic execution of the basics that had coach Pat Lam feeling all warm and fuzzy and it was the work of openside Daniel Braid that had him glowing. "I have to make special mention of Daniel Braid," said Lam. "Everyone knows he's a very good link player but he was phenomenal at pinching the ball.
"He's definitely playing the best rugby of his career. It was very pleasing to see the composure and the leadership out there. We really wanted to step up from where we were against the Bay of Plenty and we did that. We obviously still have some things to work but we are progressing."
Auckland will have to say farewell to Howlett who will now be off-limits and the All Black wing was as much relieved as he was pleased to have nabbed his 50th try.
Asked what it meant to him he said: "I became aware of it [the looming landmark] against Counties. It means I can now forget about it."
Auckland 47 (I. Nacewa, S. Tuitupou, B. Atiga, B. Ward, D. Howlett (2) tries; B. Ward 3 pens, 4 cons) Waikato 26 (B. Leonard, S. Bates tries; S.Donald 4 pens,2 cons)
