Rugby: Tragedy and thuggery take shine off Wellington win

Wellington 41 Taranaki 13

Tragedy and thuggery overshadowed the valuable five NPC competition points Wellington collected in their first-division win over Taranaki at the WestpacTrust Stadium in Wellington.

Wellington have moved to within a point of leaders Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury, but it came at a cost for Filo Tiatia.

The No 8 broke the radius bone in his right forearm when he attempted to tackle Taranaki lock Paul Tito in the 13th minute.

Tiatia flew to Auckland yesterday to have a stabilising plate or rod inserted in his forearm.

The injury has ended Tiatia's NPC season, severely hampering Wellington's hopes of winning the competition for the first time since 1986.

It has also shattered the 29-year-old's dream of making the All Blacks tour to Japan, France and Italy in November and adding to his one test cap, earned against Tonga in June.

Taranaki ended the match with 13 players after halfback Brendan Haami and reserve hooker Daniel Smith were sent off.

Replacement flanker Brent Thompson was also sinbinned, and Wellington prop Mike Edwards spent 10 minutes in the cooler.

Haami got his marching orders from referee Steve Walsh when he dragged Jason Spice clear of a ruck and then stomped on the Wellington halfback's chest.

Smith, who had just come on, was sent off for a late and high shoulder charge on Wellington first five-eighths David Holwell.

Taranaki had only just been restored to 14 players after Thompson was sinbinned for an almost identical foul on Holwell 10 minutes earlier - again only seconds after Thompson had joined the game.

Taranaki captain Andy Slater sidestepped the foul play issues after the match, saying he had not seen any of the incidents so could not comment.

Coach Colin Cooper described the acts as "dumb," saying Taranaki were "a better team than that" and he would be asking the players why they had sunk to the levels they did.

"It's not part of our game plan," Cooper said.

"They [Smith and Thompson] are physical players, but you've got to have more control. It's hard enough playing Wellington with 15 players."

Slater added: "Both teams knew that they had to be aggressive, and that they had to win the battle up front to win some dominance for their backs.

"Aggression was part of the game. I'm just disappointed it wasn't a fair contest. Fifteen on 15, that's a fair battle, but 14 or 13, you just can't do it at this level, it's impossible."

Slater said the sendings off had taken away any hope Taranaki had of winning the match.

"The score was not what we were looking for at all, but hopefully we have walked out of here with a little bit of respect that at least we don't lie down," he said.

Haami and Smith will face the New Zealand Rugby Football Union judiciary on Wednesday.

Holwell kicked five penalties and three conversions for 21 points to take him past the 500 mark in the NPC.

Wellington earned the bonus point when Jonah Lomu and Jerry Collins scored a try apiece, within a minute of each other, 10 minutes from the end when Taranaki were down to 13 men.

Earlier, Christian Cullen and Semo Setiti had crossed for tries for Wellington.

In an untidy first half that produced some woeful handling by both teams, Cullen's try - which stretched Wellington's lead to 11-0 - came from a piece of classic backline play.

Howell, who had kicked two penalties by then, passed to Alama Ieremia after a scrum, took the pass around Ieremia and set Jason O'Halloran free through the middle.

Fullback Cullen raced on to O'Halloran's pass and past an approaching defence to score.

Wellington are fourth on the table.

- NZPA