Northland 21
Auckland 13
KEY POINTS:
Auckland's lack of finishing finally finished them as their national championship title defence collapsed in a shambolic heap at Eden Park yesterday.
Having gone into the match with fifth-place and a quarter-final against Bay of Plenty there for the taking, Auckland were out-thought, out-hustled and outplayed by their junior Blues partner.
The defeat condemned them to an 11th-placed finish - two spots below Northland and one above North Harbour on a final table that makes ugly reading for the Blues' constituent unions.
"I still stand by the fact that they'll be a good side," coach Shane Howarth said after watching his team throw away an early 10-point lead - and their season - with a performance that got steadily worse as it wore on.
"They'll be a good side in a year's time." On yesterday's evidence, that seems a bold prediction. Despite being boosted by the return of All Blacks Jerome Kaino, Keven Mealamu and John Afoa, Auckland lacked the polish to break down a Northland team that hasn't exactly forged a reputation for resilient defence.
Time and again Auckland bludgeoned their way to within sight of the Northland line but a combination of forced passes, fumbles and poor options saw the chances go begging, leaving a dejected Howarth to recite a familiar refrain.
"If you don't finish the opportunities you create then you are not going to go anywhere in a game of rugby. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to and it showed."
A try to Joe Rokocoko midway through the first half and a scintillating breakout from the resulting kick-off by David Smith and Rokocoko suggested things might have been different for Auckland. But Smith ignored three unmarked players on his inside and a glorious chance to blow the game open went begging.
Ben Atiga kicked a penalty but from there it was all downhill.
A strong finish by flanker Blair Urlich and a penalty and drop goal by David Holwell meant Northland trailed by just two at the break, despite playing into a strong wind.
Northland might have created fewer chances but they showed a sharper finishing touch, with fullback Jared Payne slicing through from an inside Holwell ball and rounding Rokocoko to put his side in front 13 minutes into the second half.
Auckland pressed for the try that would have put them into the playoffs but the chances all went begging and replacement five-eighths Ash Moeke - on loan to Northland from Auckland - closed out the match with a stoppage time penalty.
"It is a special occasion and something the boys will remember for a long time," Northland coach Mark Anscombe said.
Northland's slim chance of making the quarter-finals with a bonus-point win never looked like eventuating but Anscombe and his players were happy enough simply to have denied Auckland. The complicated process used to separate tied teams had left many - including the Northlanders - believing Auckland could have progressed with a close-loss bonus point.
But Auckland's goose was well and truly cooked well before Northland captain Justin Collins instructed Moeke to kick for goal with time up.
Howarth resembled a prisoner facing a firing squad as the harsh lights of the television cameras trained on him for what was his final press conference as Auckland's coach.
With the defeat ending his caretaker tenure, Howarth's focus will now switch to selecting a Blues backline.
It will be interesting to see how he and head coach Pat Lam assess the claims of Northland's Payne and Rene Ranger, in particular, who seem to possess the incisive qualities so clearly lacked by Auckland this season.
Howarth's abdication means Auckland are in need of a coach. Anscombe, who has made progress with Northland, despite the province's off-field upheavals and lack of resources, will surely be a contender but he wouldn't be drawn on his intentions yesterday.
"I'm just going to enjoy the day first and worry about what I'm going to do after this," he said.
