Hawke's Bay 23 Manawatu 32
Aaron Cruden obviously hasn't given up his hopes of making the All Black World Cup squad. Neither has Hika Elliot.
Nuggety hooker Elliot put himself about with vigour and intent as Hawke's Bay opened their ITM Cup season with a surprise loss. Elliot lost out to Crusaders hooker Corey Flynn for the No 3 All Black hooking berth behind Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore.
Flynn maybe lost some ground with some wonky throwing in the Super Rugby final and Elliot started the ITM Cup yesterday like his non-selection was a personal affront.
He figured three times in a series of raids after Manawatu halfback Aaron Smith was too busy gesturing to the ref to notice that the ball had emerged from the ruck. Hawke's Bay claimed this easy meat and, after three Elliot contributions, winger Tu Umaga-Marshall kicked a low pass through and second five-eighths Ryan McLeod had the try in the confusion.
Smith's blooper balanced the books after his first-half try which gave Manawatu a surprise 11-9 lead at halftime. The try was a 55m peach - even if it involved a peach of a forward pass. Smith and No 8 Hamish Gosling worked a scrum move on the blind, winger Asaeli Tikoirotuma had a gallop down the touchline and the return pass to Smith stuck. There is a noticeable difference in speed between the ITM Cup and the next level.
Both sides took long enough to send the ball to the receivers that the defences marshalled themselves well and controlled the game - at least until Smith's surprise try.
Cruden was the most penetrative player on the field. Hawke's Bay dominated lineouts, breakdowns and general play - but Cruden kept Manawatu in it with some snaking runs. It was one such Cruden outside break which sent Tikoirotuma away again and his inside pass - this time controversially close to (and maybe over) the touchline - was snapped up and forced down by Junior Tomasi Cama for an 18-16 lead.
The Hawke's Bay forwards may wonder how they didn't win this one but at least they got back in the lead with, for once, quick phase ball and winger Sinoti Sinoti burst through on an inside ball to score by the posts. But Manawatu are obviously a determined force this season. The forwards and Cruden cranked matters down to the Hawke's Bay 22, Cama slipped through a gap and Casey Stone had the try.
At 25-23 with 12 minutes to go, the match still hadn't found its winner. Cruden played territory; Hawke's Bay played force-the-issue. The Manawatu tactic paid off. They pulled off a rolling maul and scored a bonus-point try to Gosling - which probably put paid to any Bay complaints about the previous two questionable tries.
Hawke's Bay 23 (R. McLeod, S. Sinoti tries; A. Horrell 2 cons, 3 pens), Manawatu 32 (A. Smith, JT Cama, C. Stone, H.Gosling tries; A. Cruden 3 cons, 2 pens). Halftime: 9-11.
