Taranaki score eight tries against Northland

9.30pm

Taranaki maintained their simple yet effective game and lead in the NPC first division rugby competition with a 62-7 win over likely wooden spooners Northland in Whangarei tonight.

They secured maximum points before halftime by scoring four tries -- one each by Brock James, Tomasi Soqeta, Lifeimi Mafi and Matthew Harvey -- to lead 34-6 before adding four more in the second half.

Australian import James, one of the architects of the big win, scored 27 points from a try, two penalties and eight conversions. In fact he kicked 10 from 10.

"He's got a boot on him and he puts us in the right place on the field," Taranaki captain Paul Tito said.

Taranaki's approach was businesslike. Their powerful forwards and solid scrum enabled their backline ample time to choose sound options.

Even then they left out the razzle-dazzle stuff, using the breadth of the field to open the way to the line.

Tries by Soqeta and Mafi in the 34th and 36th minutes took the game away from the Northlanders. It was then that Taranaki best illustrated their effective game plan and jumped from a 13-6 lead to 27-6 in two minutes.

After a solid scrum Taranaki the Taranaki backline, standing deep, would move wide swiftly and run hard to open holes in the defence.

Mafi however raced through some feeble Northland tackles after the attack went left and back to the right when he scored his try.

Taranaki coach Kieran Crowley started using his bench early in the second half to maintain the pressure on Northland and allow some of the reserves game time before they meet Canterbury in New Plymouth next Sunday.

That allowed Taranaki to maintain their first-half momentum with front rower Tony Penn, Soqeta and Shayne Austin (two) scoring the second-half tries.

Northland managed one try from a lineout drive and hooker Tim Dow was rewarded for the effort when he held the ball over the line. The other Northland points came from two penalties by Julian Huxley, another import from Australia.

The win meant Taranaki kept their unbeaten record to lead with 19 points, followed by Wellington on 15.

Austin's two tries came in the 72nd and 76th minute when Northland appeared to too tired to defend.

Taranaki 62 (Tomasi Soqeta 2, Shayne Austin 2, Brock James, Lifeimi Mafi, Matthew Harvey, Tony Penn tries; James 2 pen, 8 con)

Northland 11 (Tim Dow try; Julian Huxley 2 pen)

Halftime: 34-6.

- NZPA

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