Taranaki toiler Tito ensures 100th game ends on high note

Taranaki 42 Tasman 17

Tasman needed a win and for Southland to lose to Northland today to advance to the Air New Zealand Cup playoffs - but struck Taranaki in an expansive, unforgiving mood last night.

There were four All Blacks on the field - two of them locks - but it was a third lock, Taranaki captain Paul Tito, who had the most influence on this match.

It was Tito's 100th game for Taranaki and it was clear early on that Taranaki were playing for this favourite son and that Tasman (who lost to the Naki at this venue in pool play) would find a win here about as easy as swimming Cook Strait in a tuxedo and gumboots during a good blow.

Tito has looked increasingly aggrieved as the season has gone on and as it became evident that Taranaki would be nowhere near the playoffs this year. They breed them proud in the 'Naki and it was no surprise to see All Black hooker Andrew Hore, lock Jason Eaton, No 8 Tomasi Soqeta and Tito himself crashing about in the rucks, mauls and close-quarter stuff as if their season depended on it.

Tito has never come close to All Black selection but he is a hard-grafting, never-day-die, aggressive Taranaki toiler. He was at the heart of the rolling maul which brought the first try to prop Tony Penn. Then he was wide in the backline after the 'Naki forwards drove through a ruck and claimed the ball.

After good work by Soqeta, loose forward Jarrod Hoeata, prop Census Johnson's delicate pass to halfback Brendon Haami and second five-eighths Lifeimi Mafi's try-making pass, Tito shovelled the ball on to flanker Scott Waldrom and winger Paul Perez outpaced All Black lock Chris Jack to score.

It was as fine a try as you could wish to see and the sort of try Taranaki have most definitely not been scoring this year. They would have scored another not far behind it if Hore had not inexplicably dropped the ball with the line open after a raid by Waldrom - but still went to the break 31-3 up after Johnson crashed over following more good work by Hore and Haami.

The fourth All Black on view, Tasman's Rico Gear, had barely been seen until he poked up a "nothing" kick which resulted in Waldrom bursting away to set up the final try of the half. Taranaki spun it wide, the bulky Johnson was involved again and, yes, that man Tito delivered the scoring pass to winger Asalemo Malo.

As is the way of these things when the game is won by halftime, Tasman came back after the break and winger Lucky Mulipola scored under the bar after an individual break which had little to do with luck.

Gear started to run dangerously but Taranaki resumed normal service, with a second try to Perez before Gear was first to touch down an attacking kick as Tasman 'won' the second half.

But the night belonged to Tito of Taranaki. He was involved in creating four tries - not a bad tally for a wee lock forward. Even when he wasn't directly involved, Soqeta, Waldrom and the excellent Johnson were winning the match.

You get the feeling that the party might have continued last night until most of us were getting up this morning. You also get the feeling that it might be a good idea if Tito plays his 100th match every time for Taranaki next season.

Taranaki 42 (T. Penn, P. Perez 2, C. Johnson, A. Malo tries; K. Morath 4 con, 3 pen), Tasman 17 (L. Mulipola, R. Gear tries; A. Kimura 2 con, pen). Halftime: 31-3.