North Harbour 47
Taranaki 49
The ground announcer kept telling the crowd that North Harbour stadium is a smoke-free zone. He forgot to mention it was also a tackle-free zone.
For a moment, it looked as though this defence-challenged game would be a candidate for the highest draw, at 49-49, in provincial rugby. But a crestfallen Harbour first five Michael Harris missed the crucial sideline conversion which would have tied things up - the second time in recent weeks his normally sound goalkicking saw his side denied a last-minute result.
Taranaki's comeback (they trailed 32-18 at halftime) promoted them into semifinal territory but, while there was some thrilling rugby, it was not a great day for defence coaches. Most of the 12 tries scored had a soft element to them.
Watching all this smoke-free, tackle-free stuff, it was possible to focus on the sub-plot - the duel between the two young first fives who were supposedly vying for the back-up 10 spot in the Blues this season: Harris and 18-year-old Beauden Barrett.
After the match Taranaki coach Colin Cooper all but confirmed that Barrett has plumped for the Hurricanes wider training squad.
"He needs to be managed," Cooper said. "I think in New Zealand we rush young guys in too early - Isaia Toeava is a classic example. I think Barrett going to the Hurricanes and being part of the wider training group will mean he is able to get his body ready. At the Blues he would probably be in the 28 and just thrown out there."
Barrett has received a lot of media attention in the last few weeks. The slightly-built, fresh-faced 18-year-old looks like a Eton schoolboy but doesn't play like one. In his first full outing as pivot, he sometimes lacked the necessary assertiveness in directing his team around the park but showed plenty of will in running at the heart of the defensive line.
His defence is brave enough - at his young age he has probably made more tackles than Grant Fox and Andrew Merthens did in their careers - but not always effective.
Harbour took umbrage at the young Taranakian apparently being preferred to a local boy by the Blues and the build-up to Harbour's fourth try saw the pivot steamrollered twice in succession as he gamely tried to take down lumbering locks. The reaction of the Harbour forwards as Barrett was sat on his backside indicated that his name was a pre-match focus in the Harbour dressing room.
He demonstrated courage later in making a tackle on huge No8 Matt Luamanu as he rampaged towards the line. He didn't quite prevent the try but the point was made.
Barrett later showed confidence and vision to attempt a drop goal from over 40 metres with five minutes to go and kicked a crucial late conversion from the sideline - maybe the key difference in the duel. Barrett's went over under pressure; Harris who will play for Queensland after being shunned by the Blues, missed.
Working behind the North Harbour pack has been a thankless task this year but Harris has given his all. He is a strong defender, has good physical presence and can command a backline.
The 22-year-old appeals as a superior goalkicker to his Taranaki rival, that last kick apart, though there may be a question mark around his pace at a higher level.
The home side was caught napping from the kick-off, losing the duel for the ball and saw Jayden Hayward sidle over near the posts. Harbour struck back quickly.
Luamanu barrelled over the line in the 12th minute then lock James King dotted down twice in the space of three minutes. The second was a beauty as quickstepping wing Ken Pisi flashed down the right before positioning King perfectly for a run to the corner.
The teams then traded penalties - including a Harris stunner from inside his own half - before Taranaki's George Pisi forced his way over on the half hour after a sustained attack in the Harbour 22.
A Chris Smylie try right on halftime gave a home side a 14-point lead; within 10 minutes of the second half Taranaki had cut the deficit to just three as Harbour went on their familiar slump in the second half.
Luamanu's second try put them put them back on top before Pisi dotted down for his brace with eight minutes remaining. Luamanu bullocked over again in the 79th minute for his third try; setting up Harris for his fateful late miss.
Taranaki made it back into the top four - but they will miss a semifinal if Auckland beat Tasman today.
North Harbour 47 (M Luamanu 3, J King 2, C Smylie tries; M Harris 4 con, 3 pen) Taranaki 49 (J Hayward, G Pisi 2, M Schwalger, D Smith, S Vunisa tries; B Barrett 5 con, 3 pen). Halftime: 32-18.
