Super Sione turns on the power

Waikato 23 Counties Manukau 20

Waikato are supposed to be cooking up a bit of a plot for the Chiefs to become a super-union, a bit like Canterbury and the Crusaders, with unions like Counties Manukau relegated to a mere feeder role. However, if last night's game proved anything, it was that super status is a fair way off yet.

Except you might want to attach the adjective "super" to Sione Lauaki. Or supercharged.

The big All Black was making a return from a nasty chest injury and he looked definitely broader in the beam than when we last saw him.

A bit of a showing and then subbed off to catch his breath? Not a bit of it.

Lauaki thundered into the Counties ranks like he was a bowling ball and they were skittles. The big fend came out and re-arranged various Counties' facial features and he got the leg drive going so well, defenders were hanging off him like ribbons.

All Black watchers will have taken note. This was a big performance in difficult conditions and with Lauaki in this mood (and maybe with a few more pounds shed), his power will once again be highly useful in the All Black back row.

The rain and the slippery surface affected the quality of the match in the first half - as did Counties' rugged, local derby determination that the big brother of the franchise would have only a small amount of time and room in which to work. They backed it up with some clattering defence and took the lead when Blair Feeney kicked his second penalty.

Waikato seemed to take a grip with tries either side of halftime - the first after a long series of forward bashes at the line which saw the half extended by over two minutes as the pack continually recycled the ball. Counties' defence held impressively until the Mooloo men finally decided to risk giving it to the cold fellas with the clean shorts in the backline.

David Hill put up a wobbly kick that slid like a duck making an unco-ordinated landing on the Waikato River but winger Roger Randle made the catch and the forwards finally managed to drive lock Mark Burman over.

Then, early in the second half, Waikato's pack put the pressure on again. A desperate clearing kick near the line was charged down by livewire halfback Brendan Leonard and Randle got the touchdown just before the dead ball line intervened.

At 16-6, the match looked predictably positioned but Counties are a dogged bunch who felt they should have won last week's cliffhanger with Northland. They were outmatched at scrum time - Waikato props Nathan White and Craig West are promising - but they gave a good account in the lineouts and the loose - and none more so than bruising blindside flanker Taiasina Tuifua.

He was having a fine time knocking over Waikato players and running hard and, when Waikato got sloppy, Counties snatched up the loose ball and Tuifua drove over for the try. At 16-13, everyone expected Waikato to grind their way back and score.

But Counties blazed back upfield, Tuifua again prominent, and won a penalty which Feeney hammered against a post. The bounce fell to pursuing winger Siale Piutau, who he had more room than a garlic salesman at a vampire convention as Waikato again dozed off.

Counties, against all expectations, had the lead back, 20-16, when Feeney kicked the conversion.

Lauaki wound up again, pulled off a massive charging run where he swatted defenders aside like they were moths and set up a period of pressure from a slightly desperate Waikato.

Counties defended well but, in a mixture of anxiety and wet-weather woes, squirted the ball forward from a ruck. Fullback Sosene Anesi accepted the gift at close quarters to the line and slithered over for a try most unlike those he usually scores.

Waikato kept the screw turned tight after that but it was still possible to feel sorry for Counties. They are possibly the unluckiest side of the competition and have earned a bonus point in all four losses - even that horrible day at Hawke's Bay when the wheels really fell off. As did the axles, the mirrors and the bumpers.

They have showed many times that they are more than a feeder union.

They now just need to dine out on a win.

Waikato 23 (M. Burman, R. Randle, S. Anesi tries; S. Donald con con, 2 pen)
Counties Manukau 20 (T. Tuifua, S. Piutau tries; B. Feeney 2 con, 2 pen).
HT: Waikato 11-6