Rugby: Taranaki surge home in thrilling finale

Taranaki's Jayden Hayward. Photo / Getty Images

Taranaki 30
Bay of Plenty 24

Taranaki surged home to beat Bay of Plenty 30-24 in an exciting finish to the Air NZ Cup rugby regular season in Mt Maunganui.

In a remarkable mid-table fixture which had no bearing on the playoffs, Taranaki came from 24-6 down at halftime -- their three second-half tries trumping the hosts's four in the first spell.

Bay of Plenty reserve hooker Dean Elmiger nearly snatched victory in the final act but was held up over the tryline as referee Vinny Munro blew fulltime.

The Taranaki players whooped like they had made the finals, their gutsy comeback belying a poor finish to the season.

They had lost four of their previous five games but victory today sees them climb to an eighth-placed finish, one spot below their opponents.

The match summed up Bay of Plenty's season.

They led the competition through the opening weeks but lost four of their last five matches to drift from contention.

Two tries to Jason Hona -- the first a 90m intercept -- another to fellow-winger Zar Lawrence and the first try in lock John Moore's lengthy Bay of Plenty career suggested the verve was back as they powered clear.

First five-eighth Willie Ripia scored Taranaki's only points before the break with two penalties but it all changed after the teams emerged from the sheds.

Pacy flanker Ben Souness scored a classy try off the tail end of the lineout, followed by another to Taranaki lock Leon Power as the scoreline was reduced to 24-20 with half an hour to play.

Ripia knocked over his third penalty before his side hit the front for the first time with 7min remaining via a try to centre Paul Perez.

Both teams were missing two All Blacks but it was Bay of Plenty who arguably suffered most, with first five-eighth Mike Delany not on hand to provide his steadying influence.

No 8 and captain Colin Bourke inherited the goalkicking duties and landed his first two shots before missing the next three.

Taranaki 30 (Ben Souness, Leon Power, Paul Perez tries; Willie Ripia 3 pen, 3 con) Bay of Plenty 24 (Jason Hona 2, John Moore, Zar Lawrence tries; Colin Bourke 2 con) . Halftime: 6-24.

- NZPA