KEY POINTS:
There would have been plenty of Panadol consumed by Auckland this week after their Ranfurly Shield win and a virus that swept through the side but it looked like they could have done with a shot of something stronger last night.
Pat Lam's charges were decidedly off-colour against Taranaki - certainly not the same side that dismantled Canterbury in their ruthless raid last weekend - but ultimately had too much class and depth to maintain their unbeaten record this season and take their place in next weekend's semifinals.
They might have felt it would be a simple day at the office when prop John Afoa burst through some flimsy Taranaki defence straight from the kickoff and hooker Tom McCartney scored inside 90 seconds.
In many respects, however, it worked against them. Maybe they assumed, as the TAB had told them, they would win comfortably. They would have been better to remember history.
Taranaki have often played the role of Dr Evil to Auckland's Austin Powers - something of a nemesis but usually defeated in the end.
The amber and blacks hassle and harry, probe and unsettle to try to make up for their lack of relative ability and seem to grow another leg when playing the city slickers. They grew in confidence and self-belief as Auckland bumbled and fumbled their way through the opening stanza and scored a wonderful try of their own to Scott Ireland after rounding off a strong Nathan Hohaia midfield break.
Auckland lacked the patience they showed seven days earlier. They pushed the pass when they needed to take it in or became isolated when they should have gone looking for support.
There were more turnovers than at a church cake stall and even accomplished players like Sam Tuitupou and Brent Ward spilled the ball when under no pressure.
They were lucky they had Isa Nacewa in control with the gifted first five-eighths scoring a brace of tries from two moments of individual brilliance in a 20-point haul.
On both occasions he used a cocktail of explosive speed and silky footwork to slither his way to the tryline and confirmed his billing as one of the form players of the Air New Zealand Cup.
How Fiji would love to have him lining up in the No 10 jersey against South Africa in France tomorrow morning.
Taranaki were never really out of it and kept plugging away as they sought an unlikely come-from-behind win.
But one thing Auckland did well was defend resolutely, as they have all season, and they finally strangled the life out of the game when Ward crossed with four minutes remaining.
Auckland will host the winner of today's quarter-final between Hawke's Bay and Waikato and Lam is sure to administer his own medicine this week to make certain his side are in better health.
Auckland 30 (I. Nacewa 2, T. McCartney, B. Ward tries, Nacewa 2 con, 2 pens) Taranaki 10 (S. Ireland try, Ireland con, pen). HT: 12-7.
Air NZ Cup
Auckland 30
Taranaki 10
