Pirates flanker Emile Fanene just brought down by Taihape first-five Dane Whale at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
Pirates flanker Emile Fanene just brought down by Taihape first-five Dane Whale at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
Black Bull Liquor Pirates can just about sight the promised land while Byford's Readimix Taihape left Spriggens Park feeling very nervous, as despite the majority share of possession and territory they finished without a competition point in a rough 23-15 defeat on Saturday.
Missing a penalty kick right on fulltime in drizzling rain conditions, Taihape could not even claim a bonus point for the congested Tasman Tanning Premier table and only have themselves to blame after they played the entire first quarter inside Pirates half and had plenty more chances in the 22m than their opposition during the second stanza.
But after setting the dinner table properly, the meal arrived only half cooked, as Taihape would rue plenty of dropped ball from youngsters and veterans alike, while discipline was also an issue as Pirates tryscoring halfback Fa'alele Iosua coolly slotted three penalties from four attempts, as well as converting both of his team's breakaway tries.
Iosua played one of the most composed matches by a halfback in difficult conditions this season, as his clearences and runs from the scrumbase were well timed, as was his direction of the forwards, given young first-five Desmond Tyrell is still prone to the odd rush of blood to the head with risky passing and kicks.
Pirates struggled to force turnovers early on and had plenty of execution issues of their own, but as has been seen at Spriggens Park all season, they have game breakers who can deliver tries against the run of play.
Iosua, prop Raymond Salu, flanker Emile Fanene and centre Vaovasa Afa were invariably the players on hand when the breakouts happened.
Taihape player-coach Dane Whale had set himself to pressure Tyrell and give his team dominance outside the ruck, but it backfired as three tackles up around the high chest and neck area were enough for visiting Wairarapa-Bush referee Scott Andrew, who eventually binned Whale midway through the second half.
The visitors survived their playmaker's absence unblemished and tryscoring fullback Te Rangitapu McLeod was even able to close them up to 20-15 with his second successful kick from what would be five attempts.
But despite added urgency and some good tackling from forwards Tremaine Gilbert, Peter Travis Hay-Horton and Dylan Maloney, Taihape could not capitalise on their pressure.
Whale, Gilbert, McLeod and dangerous centre Kameli Kuruyabaki all lost posession at some crucial moment inside the final 10 minutes and you can't win a high stakes game when the clutch players can't deliver.
No8 Matthew Brown coming off with a nasty cut above his left eye added to the strain with flanker Lennox Shanks already out with concussion.
Pirates coach Phillip Morris agreed that even three weeks away from the semifinals, teams are already competing in playoff-type atmosphere.
"Every game counts, you can't rest. If you lose, you're out the door, and Taihape needed that [missed] penalty.
"We were our own worst enemy, just making basic errors and letting sides back in the game.
"But I asked for a defensive game, and they gave it."
Morris was pleased with his young front rowers, having come up from the St Johns Metro environment, while also praising Iosua, whose goalkicking style is hardly textbook but his composure is such that you would back him every time.
"He was on his game today, been off the last couple of games.
"In these conditions, I thought he dictated play and his goalkicking was good — you need a goalkicker in the finals.
Whale didn't need to look far to know what Taihape's problem had been.
"I thought our set piece was mean, but we didn't finish off," he said.
Now stuck in the dangerzone with Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist and Waverley Harvesting Border all hovering around the third and fourth playoff spots, Taihape have a hard row to hoe with Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau and Marist to finish, all in Whanganui.
"They're must wins, there's no math needed [for other games]," said Whale.
"At least [Kaierau's] mindset's not do-or-die, because it is for us.
"It's still in our grasp, just got to keep working."
Either good defence or bad errors prevented Taihape from scoring more points against Pirates.
After turning over the kickoff, Taihape camped in Pirates half and played their signature side-to-side game, with McLeod missing an early chance at three points, while Pirates would steal lineouts but then drop the ball or miss touch on their clearences, with only great last-ditch tackling stopping Taihape scoring in the corners.
They were still dangerous as Iosua followed a Fanene bust with a chip and chase into Taihape's 22m, but Whale's long boot soon had Taihape back on attack, when a similar Rangitapu-McLeod chip kick couldn't be re-gathered with an open tryline ahead.
With Pirates playing without momentum, Salu just made his own with a great dash and fend off, feeding Afa, and although the centre's pass back inside missed the intended receiver, Salu is the one Premier prop you would want to catch it at that moment, as he galloped the last 15m away from the cover defence to score.
After 23 minutes of phase buildup for no points, Taihape replied immediately by just scoring a freak try as Whale charged down Tyrell's 22m clearence and the ball fell perfectly for Kuruyabaki to dash under the posts.
Pirates stayed calm and gobbled up territory with Andrew pinging Whale for his high tackling, and after a Fanene run off the lineout took Pirates close, swinging the ball back to centre field led to an easy three point opportunity for Iosua.
Four minutes later and another tackle going high gave Iosua a longer range attempt and he delivered for 13-7.
Having done themselves no favours all half, Taihape kept hope alive as they latched onto a missed touchfinder and spread the ball wide to winger Adam Eramiha, who ran hard to the far corner and found McLeod to dive across and narrow the gap to a point.
Despite captain Lasa Ulukuta fumbling a tap kick opportunity to start the second half, Iosua caught everyone napping when Pirates ran back Taihape's clearing kick, as he dashed through to re-gather a chip kick from the ruck for a brilliant try and breathing room at 20-12.
Pirates all but scored on another chip and chase from the halfway to under the posts, just losing it, but Andrew took play back 50m for a penalty and the yellow card for Whale.
Taihape now showed good character as they shut down Pirates attack and moved forward, with the home side starting to tire.
After turning down one penalty shot to go for a corner lineout, Taihape trapped Pirates fullback Junior Ainea in-goal and got another penalty from the 5m scrum, with McLeod adding the points and eating up the clock until Whale's return.
Taihape found their second wind as Pirates began making mistakes again in the face of resolute defence and pressure on the kickers, but the visitors kept missing their lineouts and getting in each other's way on attack.
An Afa breakout dash saw him link with Iosua, but the pass missed winger Elijah Ah Chong with the line open.
Pirates nonethless got another penalty at the ruck and Iosua took them back to the eight point buffer with 15 minutes left.
Taihape's dropped ball issues continued and although Iosua lost his chance at a perfect kicking record with time running out, his team stayed out of danger and McLeod could not add any consolation with the final kick of the match.
