Manawatu 36
Wellington 24
Clashes between franchise partners can either be exhilarating or dull; little brother vs big brother upsets or pedestrian reinforcement of the status quo. This was definitely the former.
Winless Manawatu started with great purpose, working through their set pieces and pick-and-drives until they slipped winger Shannon Paku in at the corner for a try.
Wellington looked listless; a little like the old story of thinking that they only had to turn up to win.
For Manawatu to win, they really had to turn up - and they did. Determined driving by the likes of lock Fraser Stone and prop Grant Poulsen saw them pin Wellington largely in their own 35-metre zone for most of the first half hour. They recycled the ball well and first five-eighths Isaac Thompson (deputising for All Black Aaron Cruden) was happy to bang over the resulting penalties.
Wellington have not yet looked convincing this season. Last weekend, they got out of jail against an eager Northland team and this match was studded with the same sorts of mistakes and rising penalty count against them.
However, there was a clear feeling that all they had to do was grab some ball, mount up some phases and the pace and power of players like wingers Julian Savea and Alipate Leiua, second five-eighths Sean Treeby and loose forwards Victor Vito and Rodney So'oialo would be too much.
So it proved, the first time Wellington got anywhere near the Manawatu defensive zone. Treeby did well, first five-eighths Fa'atonu Fili distributed smoothly and new centre Tajhon Mailata had a try on debut.
The pattern was repeated after a long period of Manawatu pressure when Wellington hoofed the ball upfield.
It bounced crazily, Wellington seemed to knock it on but the ball came off his head or chest area for Apilate to gather and score under the posts - with the Manawatu players crying foul.
In just two raids worthy of the name, Wellington had got their noses ahead 12-11, although they went to the break 12-14 down, courtesy of another Thompson penalty.
The script in such circumstances would normally see Wellington gain control in the second half.
But Manawatu cleared out to 21-12 after a fine solo try from centre Hadleigh Parkes, their best back. He slid out of a So'oialo tackle, side-stepped fullback Apoua Stewart and had enough pace to hold off Alby Mathewson to score.
When second five Frankie Bryant carved through the midfield, Stone finished off with a try in the corner.
At 26-12, Wellington were looking sick until Savea powered through some weak defence near the line.
It looked as if a Wellington revival might see them squeak in again. But the errors and penalties kept coming.
A woeful dropped pass by Savea led to another Thompson goal. Treeby engineered a second try to Mailata but, as they pressed at 29-24 down, young inside back Asaeli Tikoirotuma got the intercept and Manawatu had a famous, and deserved, win.
Manawatu 36 (S. Paku, H. Parkes, F. Stone, A. Tikoirotuma tries; I. Thompson con, 4 pens; C. Clare con), Wellington 24 (M. Mailata 2, A. Leiua, J. Savea tries; F. Fili 2 cons). Halftime: 14-12.
