Rugby: Steelers' spirit belies NZRU axe

For a competition important rugby people seem determined to write off as a second-class event this year, the national championship keeps turning up trumps.

Week after week, there have been pleasant surprises, not only in terms of final results but discovering players with eye-catching talent whose names mean little outside their own families. Teams have delighted in turning pre-season assumptions on their head.

And it prompts one distinct thought: what's wrong with 14 teams?

Hovering over the Air New Zealand Cup has been the knowledge that four teams are heading for the drop, with Tasman, Counties-Manukau and Manawatu apparently dead certs.

Well, hang on a minute. This will be the same Manawatu who have won three of four games and sit fifth on the table; the same Tasman who are sixth and averaging 25 points a game; and the same Counties-Manukau who rebounded from a poor first three weeks to produce spirit and pluck in toppling Taranaki 33-21 at Pukekohe yesterday.

Arms were jubilantly flung in the air at the final whistle. Of those at risk, Counties-Manukau seemed the furthest short of requirements and they had plenty to celebrate yesterday, scoring three tries to jolt Taranaki's ambitions of joining the pacesetters.

Counties-Manukau led 13-6 at halftime, including a fine try by fullback Ahsee Tuala, scooting down the left wing, and further tries by Sherwin Stowers and then importantly Fritz Lee barging across from close range late on to keep his team well clear on the scoreboard.

"We worked bloody hard thisweek and we'll grow from this," Counties-Manukau captain Tasesa Lavea said.

Bay of Plenty stay top of the ladder after a convincing 32-16 win over big brother from the Chiefs franchise Waikato.

Waikato had all the numbers in the first half as Bay of Plenty piled on the errors. But a smart try by halfback Junior Poluleuligaga shortly before the break turned things round and with in-form Mike Delany running the show, Bay of Plenty ran clear in the second spell.

Delany, playing as well as any first five-eighths in the country, kicked eight from eight attempts at goal, including what is becoming a trademark 50m hammer strike, which cleared the bar by metres.

Flanker Solomon King was on the end of a finely constructed try and as the lead mounted Waikato, their lineout awry, fell apart. They now sit bottom.

"Our belief is slowly coming through with winning. We knew we had a tough week after beating Wellington just to show it wasn't a fluke," captain Colin Bourke said.

Canterbury stay second after seeing off Tasman in a tight contest, 25-21, and get their chance to challenge for the Ranfurly Shield in Wellington next Saturday night.