Southerners keep semi hopes alive

SOUTHLAND 16 TARANAKI 13

Southland's narrow victory yesterday added another chapter to a miserable season for Taranaki.

The first half produced the worst 40 minutes of NPC rugby this season from two mediocre sides. The second half was only marginally better.

The hardy 2500 souls who turned up at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth for Taranaki's last home game would have been wishing they had stayed home.

Taranaki dominated possession, but their inability to score points handed Southland victory and kept the southerners in the hunt for a semifinal berth.

A win over Bay of Plenty in Invercargill on Saturday, and a couple of other results going their way, will see Southland in the first-division playoffs for the first time.

Southland's tactics in the second half were simple - play in Taranaki's half and take any points on offer.

Loose forwards Paul Miller, Ben Herring and Hale T-Pole hustled Taranaki into error, while their backs relied heavily on the boot of first five-eighths Richard Apanui.

Southland opened the scoring with an Apanui penalty before Taranaki No 8 Johnny Willis cashed in on a poor Southland lineout throw for the opening try.

A try by Southland halfback Jimmy Cowan silenced the Taranaki crowd, then Apanui's conversion and another penalty extended Southland's lead to 13-5 at the break.

Midway through the second spell, Taranaki first five-eighths Sam Young dropped a goal, but that was countered by a third Apanui penalty.

Richard Bryant's last-minute try closed the gap for Taranaki, but it was far too late.

- NZPA

NPC points table