Rugby: Tasman demolish Southland to seal semifinal spot

Tasman's Shannon Frizell makes a break during the big win over Southland. Photo / photosport.nz

Tasman 56 Southland 0

Tasman needed only one point this afternoon to seal their semifinal spot in the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership. They racked up 56.

Facing Southland and the most generous defence in the competition, the Makos punched their playoff ticket with an eight-try victory at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

They might have required just a bonus point to leapfrog Waikato and into the top four but Tasman ran rampant throughout, eventually recording a win that lifted them to third and set a semifinal date with Taranaki.

Right from the moment Peter Samu scored from a push-over scrum in the seventh minute, the Makos were in complete control against an overmatched Stags. Given the home side had racked up six times as many run metres by halftime, Southland probably did well to limit the damage to 21-0.

But the floodgates flew open in the second half, a rout beginning when Viliami Lolohea scored the fourth try that guaranteed Tasman's playoff place. The Makos then celebrated that news with a three-try burst in 10 minutes before Caleb Makene helped his side crack the half century in the final minute.

Tasman 56 (P. Samu, A. Makalio, J. Lowe, V. Lolohea, J. MacDonald, A. Makalio, A. Ainley, C. Makene tries; M. Hunt 6 cons, T. O'Mally 2 cons)
Southland 0
Halftime: 21-0