Wellington 62
Counties-Man 19
Taranaki 17
North Harbour 13
Rugby's over zealous refereeing was under the spotlight in New Plymouth last night as a crucial call helped send North Harbour to a fifth consecutive NPC defeat this season.
Taranaki won with the controversial moment occurring in the 64th minute. Referee Garratt Williamson had ruled a tackle from the Harbour replacement Malakai Ravulo high but it had to be a call made on suspicion because video replays showed no crime had been committed.
Taranaki fullback Jack Cameron nailed the simple penalty to get his side into a 14-13 lead. A further Cameron goal gave the home side the final winning margin for its third victory of the year.
The match hit its straps only in the final minutes as Harbour made a frantic bid to find the winning try, the game ending with a long range helter skelter Harbour move going astray.
The controversial Cameron goal proved a crucial point in a generally average match.
Harbour, who led 10-5 at the break, have just one win from six matches and if their season wasn't already over, it almost certainly is now.
"We'll come right soon," captain Chris Smith told the Harbour supporters after the match, but Craig Dowd's side has given the field too much of a start.
Taranaki were led by a hard nosed performance from openside Scott Waldrom, and lock Craig Clarke was another to figure strongly.
Willie Ripia opened the scoring, after Taranaki turned down a short range penalty shot at goal in favour of setting up a lineout. The ball was thrown deep, and then switched back to the blindside where Ripia embarrassed Harbour's halfback Chris Smylie by charging through him to score in the corner.
Ben Botica's 19th minute penalty got the visitors under way before Smylie exacted some revenge for his defensive miss with a try from a quick tap penalty.
Harbour were well worth the try though at that point in the game, having piled on the pressure.
But it was an ordinary spell of football, with limited attacks and some hairy skills. North Harbour's attacks tended to get lost down a blind alley near the left hand touchline, and Taranaki didn't do an awful lot to test Harbour's defenders.
Taranaki 17 (Willie Ripia try; Jack Cameron 4 pen)
North Harbour 13 (Chris Smylie try; Ben Botica 2 pen, con). Halftime: 5-10.
* * *
A rampant Wellington had a bonus point for four tries by halftime but to their credit an outgunned Counties-Manukau never gave up at Pukekohe.
Obviously smarting from their poor showing in losing the Ranfurly Shield to Canterbury last week, Wellington came out firing from the whistle and scored eight tries in the one-sided match.
Poor Counties' defence gifted winger Hosea Gear four tries in the match, three in the first half as Wellington went to the break 36-7 up and heading for a huge score.
Counties scored three tries, one on the break and two soon after but could not contain Wellington who had a wealth of good ball which their enterprising backs made good use of.
Wellington 62 (Hosea Gear 4, Cory Jane, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Robbie Fruean, Mathew Luamanu, Scott Fuglistaller tries; Kirkpatrick pen, 5 con; Fa'atonu Fili 2 con)
Counties-Manukau 19 (Dean Cummins, Ahsee Tuala, Ilaisa Ma'asi tries; Tim Nanai-Williams 2 con). Halftime: 36-7.
