Taranaki Maori dominated Whanganui Maori to claim the Tuera Shield. Photo / Jared Smith
Taranaki Maori dominated Whanganui Maori to claim the Tuera Shield. Photo / Jared Smith
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Whanganui Maori v Taranaki Maori
The 124-year-old Tuera Shield has left the awa and is heading back to Mt Taranaki in the hands of a very strong Taranaki Maori team, who overwhelmed Whanganui Maori 72-0 on Saturday.
The second match of the Cooks Gardens doubleheader, Taranaki Maori signalled their intent to regain the shield right from the start, as they did their haka accompanied by the Taranaki Pasifika squad, who had just finished the opening game.
The relatively young Whanganui side, with a couple of cast-iron veterans, probably felt like the extra players must have stayed on the field as Taranaki brought some big, powerful runners and distributed the ball expertly and with speed.
They were coming off a five-week training programme, having also comfortably accounted for Manawatu Maori the previous weekend, and with no Taranaki Development XV programme this year, a lot of quality players on the fringe of the Mitre 10 Cup squad took part.
Quick lineouts and tap penalties saw them live in Whanganui's half despite playing into the breeze during the first 40 minutes, leading 29-0, and they just kept coming in the second stanza to really blow the scoreline out, rarely letting the home side even touch the ball.
In fact, Taranaki looked so professional, Whanganui Maori Rugby Board chairman Alan Davis joked that perhaps their neighbours had "one or two non-Maori in there".
"A top team, man, stacked if you want to call it that way.
"But that's the way it is in Maori rugby. Last year they didn't have a very good team because they picked from the Under 20s, the Colts, and we cleaned them up.
"So we know how it feels to be at the top, as you can see today, they brought the mana down, gave us a bit of a slap around.
"But all things to our boys here, those that showed up. A lot of young ones as you can see, and [thanks] to our new coaching team, Dylan [Ratana] and Tank."
Only three players from the 2019 Whanganui Maori side, which beat their under-strength opposition in Hawera, played in this rematch, which included former Steelform Whanganui captain Roman Tutauha answering the call for his only game of 2020 after previously resting to heal old nagging injuries.
"Bit of a scratch team, but at the end of the day it's all about Maori rugby and keeping that alive," said Davis.
Taranaki player-coach Te Waiti Mareikura, who sits on one of the Hurricanes boards with Davis, also felt the most important outcome was their culture-based rugby had continued despite the Covid-19 disrupted season.
"It's getting to maintain Maori rugby and the traditions involved, especially with the Tuera Shield.
"The biggest thing is for the Te Tini-a-Maui [Central] Maori Rugby tournament."
Taranaki wingers Tainui Moahu (2) and Brendon White sprinted off for Taranaki's first three tries, before hooker Abe Piper forced his way over from a lineout drive and aggressive veteran centre Josh Thompson, eager to rattle a few cages, finished off for a try where the ball travelled through seven or eight sets of hands.
Whanganui had lost flanker Timi Teepa to the sin bin for a hard tackle, leaving holes to cover, but by the second half his team was struggling and the gaps appeared anyway.
Thompson scored a similar try in the second half, going off the ruck after a long break, and then reserve Rhoady Featherston scored in the corner after Taranaki surprised with a quick tap in their own half to draw in the few cover defenders.
The half century came up when reserve prop Dylan Skipworth caught a Whanganui overthrow at a 5m lineout and dived across in the same motion, which he followed up for a double by diving through the last defender's feet off a tryline ruck.
One of the reserve outside backs went over after beating his man out wide, and then Piper had his double off a penalty lineout play.
Reserve forward Keani Broughton had previously celebrated a try with his Taranaki Pasifika mates before it was ruled a double movement, but he made up for it by diving across for a legal score near fulltime.
First five Brent Landers slotted six conversions from the first 10 attempts.
For the home side, reserve hooker Tutauha and prop Ezekiel Anderson tried to spark something with their carries, while first five Tyrone Albert did the same with chip-chase attempts, and reserve flanker Mairangi Tamehana went hard in the final minutes to get a consolation try.
Taranaki Maori 72 (T Moahu 2, J Thompson 2, D Skipworth 2, A Piper 2, B White, R Featherston, No22, K Broughton tries; B Landers 6 con) Whanganui Maori 0. HT: 29-0.
Wanganui Pasifika v Taranaki Pasifika
Handling errors creating a deficit they had to overtake and then one more costly fumble on the shadow of fulltime saw the brand new Wanganui Pasifika team lose to Taranaki Pasifika 29-24 on Saturday.
The new Wanganui Pasifika team took on Taranaki Pasifika at Cooks Gardens. Photo / Jared Smith
In the first game of the day the brand-new Wanganui side went into a strong first half breeze against a visiting team playing their fifth match together, although they were a little light on regulars after 10 squad members pulled out of the trip.
It didn't seem to matter as Taranaki worked away to a 17-0 lead by around the 30th minute - living in Wanganui's territory as the home side repeatedly lost possession at the breakdown just as they entered the attacking half.
Taranaki winger Eli Kneepkins hit the post with his first penalty attempt but made no mistake with his second, then a tighthead scrum win on Wanganui's 5m saw first five Hanky Setu fire a long pass to fullback Tyrese Ratahi to cross untouched in the corner, with Kneepkins making a good sideline conversion.
Prop and skipper Sione Sifa, having a big match for Taranaki, then scored another seven-pointer for 17-0.
Wanganui needed a spark and found it from their speedy halfback Oliva Leisina as, under pressure from a 45m scrum, he broke free of his tackler and sprinted through a gap right to the tryline, from where prop Tai Pulemagafa drove his way over.
The Wanganui forwards then drove Taranaki off their ruck ball, which led to a kicking duel and winger CJ Stowers getting a chance to run in broken play.
Wanganui got a couple of penalties and Leisina backed himself to take the tap and dive through two defenders to score, with first five Ezra Malo adding the extras right on halftime.
Heartland and Wanganui Samoa veteran Lote Tauialoto entered the fray for the second half to make some strong carries, but a turnover in front of Taranaki's line was kicked back out to the home side's 22m, and a quick lineout from the clearance saw the visitors spread it.
Centre Josh Setu and Ratahi combined to nearly put winger Vatili Vuluma in at the corner, and Sifa took the ball back the other way to power over, with Kneepkins again hitting the post.
Down 22-12, Wanganui lifted after a penalty saw them drive from the lineout to earn a 5m scrum, and No 8 Josaia Dawai took the second carry off the ruck to pump through tacklers and place the ball down.
Another couple of penalties, the second for backchat, brought Wanganui back on to attack with Leisina getting close to the tryline again, as Taranaki knocked on while winning the turnover.
From the 5m scrum, Wanganui again bashed up through the forwards and lock Joeli Vasu was able to slip through the middle and run in under the posts, with Malo putting his team in front 24-22.
Wanganui had another couple of big line breaks from Stowers and Tauialoto, but mistakes snuffed out those chances, with Kneepkins making a kick-chase to give his side one last chance with Wanganui pinged for holding in their 30m.
With less than 30 seconds left, Kneepkins had his worst kick of the game with a penalty that drifted well wide, but a chasing Sifa hammered the Wanganui player catching the ball to force it loose on the tryline, with one of his reserves diving on it for the match-winner.
"The game of rugby, you've got to look after the ball," said Wanganui Pasifika coach Ace Malo.
"It was good to come back in the last 10 minutes of the first half, put some points on.
"We were doing pretty good, it's our first game, and the first time for the Wanganui Pasifika, it's pretty awesome."
Taranaki Pasifika's technical advisor and TRFU official Jack Kirifi said it is the second year in existence for their squad, who the coaching staff have looked to keep engaged and then develop, as they "love being around their brothers".
They will play their sixth and final game this season against Taranaki Secondary Schools.
Taranaki Pasifika 29 (S Sifa 2, T Ratahi, No22 tries; E Kneepkins pen, 3 con) Wanganui Pasifika 24 (T Pulemagafa, O Leisina, J Dawai, J Vasu tries; E Malo 2 con). HT: 17-12.
Around the grounds
COLLEGIATE: The Whanganui Collegiate first XV finished their season with a flourish with a 36-20 win over Wellington College in the Quadrangular minor final at Nelson College on Thursday. Try-scorers included flanker Te Ana Proffit, centre Waqa Waqaicece, halfback Adam Lennox and winger Koby Lee, while first-five Harry Godfrey added four conversions and a penalty. In the major final, Nelson College won the 94th edition of the tournament, beating Christ's College 33-22.
HEARTLAND: Steelform Wanganui's upcoming opponent King Country defeated East Coast 34-22 in Opotiki on Saturday, after leading 20-10 at halftime. Bruce Steel Memorial Cup holders Wairarapa Bush continued their strong season with a 46-26 win over Poverty Bay in Napier, after being up 18-12 at the break.
