Rugby: Tasman pushes on toward playoffs against the odds

Afeleki Pelenise

Tasman continued their push towards the playoffs and administrative battles to revamp the national rugby championship as they held out 21-16 yesterday against Northland.

Logic told the Rugby Union that Tasman should be in the quartet dropped from the top division next season, just as it suggested Tasman would struggle to break a stalemate as they played into the second half wind at Okara Park.

But the men from the nation's smallest union refused to buckle on either front.

Tries either side of the break proved decisive as they ground through some difficult patches, a faulty kicking radar from captain Andrew Goodman and rough weather.

Wing Afeleki Pelenise hurdled the corner flag to score and level the scores with Goodman's outstanding sideline conversion on the buzz of halftime.

Soon after the halftime rark up for both teams, burly Tasman hooker Quentin MacDonald scored following his lineout throw 25m from the Northland line. His pack collected and then set themselves for the longhaul drive.

"It was very satisfying, we are stoked to come out on top," Goodman said. "But both sides made too many errors."

Conditions were awkward, throws to the lineout often went awry, it was difficult to control the power in the scrums and ball movement was fraught with danger if there was any slight lack of precision. Hoof and chase seemed the best concept though Northland's first half-ball control into the breeze, kept Tasman out of much of the contest.

But as well as the hosts played to start with, they could not get into the contest after the break. They were denied possession and could not create any pressure. A penalty from Lachie Munro was their solitary second spell return while MacDonald's try and Goodman's neat dropped goal, under advantage 15 minutes from time, gave the visitors victory. And fourth place on the points table with away matches against Southland and Otago before a final pool game at home against Wellington to decide whether they will continue to the playoffs.