Auckland 23
Manawatu 20
It was Heritage Day at Eden Park yesterday, a chance to salute the old heroes.
However the winning of the game for Auckland came from two of their up-and-comers, 19-year-old halfback Auvasa Faleali'i and 20-year-old wing Atelia Pakalani, with time up and Manawatu poised to celebrate their first win over their rivals for 28 years.
Instead Auckland squeezed home 23-20 in a game they had led 16-0 without ever looking thoroughly convincing.
As the great and good of Auckland rugby's days gone by peered across at the giant construction site, soon to be the new southern and eastern stands, they'd likely have remembered wondrous deeds from men in blue and white in the days when the park looked vastly different.
There wasn't much wondrous going on for much of yesterday and indeed the game only really sparked into life in the final quarter.
Before then, Auckland had eased clear on the back of three Daniel Bowden penalties and a converted try in the left corner to centre Jamie Helleur, capitalising on an error by Manawatu's replacement first five-eighths Isaac Thompson on his tryline.
Thompson was a late call-in for Manawatu's hotshot No 10 Aaron Cruden, who damaged a hip flexor during the week, was touch and go in the leadup and withdrawn 10 minutes before the start.
Manawatu had had their chances but despite a strong lineout and combative scrum, things hadn't gone their way.
Then referee Shane McDermott, who earned the ire of Auckland coach Mark Anscombe afterwards, sinbinned impressive flanker Hamish Paterson 15min from the end.
Shortly after, replacement first five-eighth Ash Moeke's first touch of the ball was charged down by Johnny Leota, who scored near the posts.
Five minutes remained when Manawatu won a lineout 5m from Auckland's line and cleverly went back round the front end for halfback Aaron Smith to dart across in the corner.
Thompson's splendid conversion, and subsequent 43m penalty seemed to have pinched it for Manawatu. Then with seconds left a ruck formed near halfway on Auckland's right.
Faleali'i picked up the ball and went off on a weaving crossfield run and discovered Manawatu had severely over-committed at the ruck. He drew the last man and released a jubilant Pakalani who ran on to score his first Air New Zealand Cup try.
"He's got that bit of spark about him. He's cheeky and strong and he can make things happen and he did that well today," Anscombe said of Faleali'i.
Anscombe was frustrated by McDermott's rulings at scrum and breakdown, claiming some were "mindboggling" and wondered darkly if some of it was "predetermined".
That said, he was critical of his team not keeping their foot on an opponent's throat - "We've got to be smarter and more urgent about finishing a team off. Sometimes you get out of jail, sometimes you don't. We used all our cards up today."
Rival coach Dave Rennie, bitterly disappointed for his players, praised their character. As for the breakdowns, he was blunt, describing them as "a bloody mess".
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Hawkes Bay were too good for North Harbour, winning 34-17 at Albany. Harbour captain Anthony Tuitavake was back from injury, so too All Black forward Anthony Boric, who impressively lasted the distance after recovering from his broken toe last April.
Harbour sit rooted to the bottom of the table, and head to Eden Park next Saturday.
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Otago must be getting tired of heading off in pursuit of the Ranfurly Shield and coming up short. They've been trying since they lost it in 1957 and Saturday's challenge to Canterbury was over early in the second half, the holders going on to a five-try 36-16 win.
