1995 NPC Results: week 6
NZ NPC
RUGBY IN 1995 _________________________________________
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THE NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
--====--
This article features short reports, news,
and results from NPC matches played in New Zealand
for the weekend of 9-10th September, 1995
HEADLINES
~~~~~~~~~
In yet another unconvincing performance, Auckland won away
at Southland 21-19. Southland picked up their fifth successive
bonus point in a row.
Counties put one over on a desperate North harbour side by
25-22, showing the NZ rugby administrators that they may be
mistaken in making them a feeder side for next year's IPC.
Otago got back on track, winning by 20-15 away at Waikato,
and looking like they might be in the top four by the end.
Canterbury pulverized an unsuspecting Wellington team who
are new to the cauldron that is Ranfurly Shield rugby 66-17.
MATCH REPORTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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### DIVISION 1 ####################################################
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SOUTHLAND 19 AUCKLAND 21 Half-time: 19-6
at Invercargill
Southland tries: T Vaega
kicks: S Culhane(1 conv, 4 pen)
Auckland tries: Z Brooke, D Mika
kicks: A Cashmore(1 conv, 3 pen)
Plucky first division newcomers Southland made Auckland fight hard
to win this match, and for the fifth time in a row came out with a
single bonus point for their trouble.
The two pushover tries by the current NPC champions were really the
only times that they looked like crossing the Southland line due
to a tremendously committed defensive effort.
After only 6 minutes Southland and Western Samoan centre To'o Vaega
scored a sizzling try off a miss-out pass from Simon Culhane. For
the rest of the half Southland matched Auckland in all phases of
the game, and the accurate Culhane boot added four penalties to give
them a 19-6 advantage at the break.
Two minutes into the second half Southland just missed a chance to
nail the game when a try looked on. A knock-on whilst trying to
free the ruck ball let the visitors off the hook.
Then the Auckland forward machine started to grind Southland down
as they adopted their old-style game of playing it tight in the
forwards, and pressed for territorial advantage without trying
anything risky in the backs.
Only stout Southland defence kept the score down, although Auckland
couldn't take much pride in their performance.
_____________________________________________________________________
COUNTIES 25 NORTH HARBOUR 22 Half-time: 9-3
at Pukekohe
Counties tries: J Vidiri, L Raki, O John
kicks: D Love(3 conv)
North Harbour tries: R Todd, E Rush
kicks: W Burton(4 pen)
With the proposal, for next season's IPC series, that Counties act
as a 'feeder' team for North Harbour, the home side had a powerful
motivation to show the rugby hierarchy that it has got it wrong.
Counties started the match without World Cup star Jonah Lomu, who is
reportedly suffering from a poisoned leg, but went on to show that
they are certainly not a one-man band.
North Harbour began the game keeping the ball tight, in marked
contrast to last week's undisciplined run-it-from-anywhere display.
The match was strongly contested in all aspects of play, especially
in the loose forwards and the backs, where both sides were equally
determined to shut the other down. This resulted in a rather scrappy
match, further exacerbated by the referee, who blew a total of
28 penalties, and seemed not to have heard of allowing advantage.
Harbour led 9-3 at halftime, and seemed to be in control, however
with first five-eighth Warren Burton sidelined for running repairs
replacement Mark Beale kicked of directly into touch. Counties
took the scrum at halfway, and fullback Pita Alatini slipped through
the Harbour lines to set winger Joeli Vidiri up for a try.
Harbour ran in a couple of good tries, but failed to dominate an
irrepressible Counties, who crossed their line three times in all
and deserved the win.
Standing out for North Harbour was Eric Rush, whose timing onto
the ball and acceleration into the gap were exciting, although the
support was not always there when he ran out of room. All Black
centre pairing Frank Bunce and Walter Little were seldom seen,
being contained by their Counties opposites.
_____________________________________________________________________
WAIKATO 15 OTAGO 20 Half-time: 3-9
at Hamilton
Waikato tries: M Cooksley, W Jennings
kicks: E Martin(1 conv, 1 pen)
Otago tries: N Moore
kicks: T Brown(5 pen)
Sticking with the more conservative forward-oriented approach which
we have seen from them this season, Otago got back onto the NPC
rails with a win away from home against Waikato yesterday.
Although they scored 2 tries to 1, Waikato succumbed to the accurate
goalkicking of Otago second five-eighths Tony Brown as the Blues
dominated territory, and won most lineout ball.
Brown had Otago ahead 9-3 at halftime, and 20-3 early in the second
40, aided and abetted by a Nick Moore try set up by former All Black
halfback Stu Forster.
Waikato came back with two excellent tries in the final quarter to
gain a consolation bonus point.
Otago seemed reluctant to move the ball wide against the committed
Mooloo defence, and time after time the ball was released from
the ruck only to be run back into the forwards as the options were
quickly shut down out wide.
In the final 30 minutes of the game, Waikato were playing catch-up
rugby, and finally got a try to Cooksley from a lineout drive.
Four minutes from time Waikato right wing Warren Jennings scored
the best try of the day after a blindside run by second five-eight
Scott McLeod.
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CANTERBURY 66 WELLINGTON 17 Half-time:
at Christchurch
Canterbury tries: Lots
kicks: Quite a few
Wellington tries: Hardly any
kicks: Even less
First of all apologies regarding the lapse above, where I have not
given scoring details. This was due to my deciding to consume large
amounts of Boddingtons Pub Ale when watching the TV coverage, instead
of taking notes! I leave the details to be covered by a Cantabrian,
who will, no doubt, feel more motivated than I to perform such a
service in retrospect.
Well my main feelings after the match are ones of embarassment. It's
a bit like having a friend with whom you are quite obviously
associated ostentaciously fouling their trousers in public. No
chance of denying that you are with them, and no chance of hiding
the occurrence itself.
I was disturbed earlier in the week, when I read in the local newspaper
that Wellington coach Frank Walker was trying to get the players to
focus on the four NPC points instead of the Ranfurly Shield. This is
perhaps a mistake I thought. Treating the match as just another NPC
contest may back-fire, since it is more like a test match than
anything else, and they may be caught unawares.
So it proved. Wellington were the archetypal lambs to the slaughter.
Pitched into the seething cauldron that was Lancaster Park on a
gloriously sunny afternoon, with a huge partisan crowd and a Canterbury
side burning from recent NPC losses, the need to stay in the NPC
hunt, and, above all else, to retain the Ranfurly Shield, these newborn
Wellington lads were put to the sword. In point of fact, they really
fell onto it themselves, such was the effect of the occasion.
In the first five minutes Wellington showed us what they were capable
of. Running with the ball in hand they are dangerous indeed, but lack
that little bit of variation to break defenses more regularly.
Then it was as if the occasion had just sunk in. From the 10 minute
mark onwards they started making mistakes which are characteristic
of sides under pressures to which they are unacustomed. Seemingly
unforced knock-ons, and a general disintegration of the kind of team-work
which has been their hallmark became the norm, and they put themselves
under tremendous territorial pressure as a result.
Canterbury on the other hand were firing on all 15. To them this was
a test match, and they were superb. As a spectator you could sense the
nature of the contest laid before you. Wellington, although holding to
0-7 for the first twenty minutes, were gradually losing belief in what
they could achieve. They were made to do so by sharp Canterbury defence,
and an attack which always had seemingly instantaneous ideas,
whatever situation presented itself.
Eventually the Wellington side were playing half-hearted rugby, and
not backing each other up. Defence became very lacadaisical, and
quite a number of Canterbury tries were due to incomptetence in this
area.
After half-time, the match seemed to stabilise a little, although
Wellington were only ever going to grab a couple of consolation
tries, which they did.
It was Canterbury's day and, as I have said before, they are a fine
side when firing. I look forward to the Ranfurly Shield challenge
of Auckland, and both hope and expect that they will repulse it.
As for Wellington, they should not lose too much heart. All manner of
'technical' comment regarding performance and tactics in various
areas of the game might be discussed, but the fact was they were
undone by the occasion more than anything else, and despite the
day's score, there is less between the sides than people might think.
All in all an excellent day's rugby, and congratulations to an
superb Canterbury side who are undoubtedly one of the present jewels
in the New Zealand rugby crown.
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### DIVISION 2 ####################################################
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MID CANTERBURY 28 BAY OF PLENTY 59 Half-time: 7-25
at Ashburton
Mid Canterbury tries: J Mathie(3), R Rolleston
kicks: P Treves(4 conv)
Bay of Plenty tries: C McMillan(3), D Kaui(2), R McDonald(2),
C Bidois, S Robinson
kicks: A Miller(4 conv, 2 pen)
After being in the hunt for the first 20 minutes, Mid Canterbury
got caught under an avalanche of tries from a Bay of Plenty side
with the inclination and the skill to really throw the ball around.
Bay attacked from everwhere, even behind their own goal-line at
one stage, with fullback Damon Kaui, and loose-forwards Clayton
McMillan and Scott Robertson featuring prominently.
Although the home side never gave up, they had problems defending
out wide, and this cost them dearly.
In the first half Bay's Andy Miller opened the scoring with a penalty
after 20 minutes and then Mid Canterbury replied when Jason Mathie
scored a try which was converted to put the home side ahead.
A try to Robbie McDonald and two to Clayton McMillan, added to
two conversions and a penalty to Andy Miller resulted in a haltime
scoreline of 25-7 to BOP.
In the second half the floodgates opened as Kaui, Charles Bidois,
McDonald, Robertson, McMillan, and Kaui once more scored tries.
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HAWKES BAY 69 NELSON BAYS 5 Half-time: 36-0
at Napier
Hawkes Bay tries: R Randle(3), G Konia(2), D Lee(2), J Saker,
T Maidens, J Cunningham
kicks: J Cunningham(8 conv, 1 pen)
Nelson Bays tries: G Stevens
kicks:
Hawkes Bay trounced unfortunate Nelson Bays in a match which saw
Bay fullback Jarrod Cunningham grab 24 points with a try, 8
conversions, and a penalty.
After their upset loss 34-16 last week to Wairarapa, this was just
the tonic the Hawkes Bay players needed.
Of the Bay backline, all scored tries except for second five-eighth
Murdoch Paewai. Winger Roger Randle was once more in outstanding form
scoring a hat-trick.
In the forwards Hawkes Bay looked formiddable as well, with prop
Orcades Crawford and loose-forwards Dallas Seymour and Tony Goldfinch
having strong games.
Nelson Bays were struck with injury worries before the match with
their two key forwards No.8 Tom Matakaiongo, and lock Seph Pijfers
ruled out. During the game they fared no better, having to make no
less than four substitutions.
The visitors enjoyed a 5-minute golden patch late in the first
half, and scored their only try late in the second, a spectacular
effort from winger Gary Stevens.
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MANAWATU 14 NORTHLAND 18 Half-time: 8-10
at Palmerston North
Manawatu tries: W Furnell
kicks: J Holland(3 pen)
Northland tries: M Going, T Siale
kicks: W Johnston(1 conv, 2 pen)
Northland managed to grab a deserved, although nervous win over
Manawatu yesterday.
The home side managed to stay within range of a win throughout,
due largely to committed defence, and by Northland squandering
about five try-scoring chances in all.
In the last five minutes Jason Holland opted to take the penalty
kick twice rather than go for the try, in order to salvage the
bonus point.
Although dominant up front it took Northland until 6 minutes before
halftime to score, catching Manawatu unawares by running a penalty
near the line. Milton Going went over in the corner for the try.
Only 3 minutes later Manawatu replied when centre Paul Schmidt-Uli
lost the ball downwards and second five-eighth Willie Furnell
dived over.
The halftime scoreline of 10-8 to Northland lasted until 9 minutes
before full time. A high kick into the corner allowed hooker
Tau Siale to gather and score.
Best of Northland were midfield men Tony Monaghan and Milton Going,
flanker Gleen Taylor, lock Norman Maxwell, and prop Jason Hammond.
Manawatu were outgunned up front, however No.8 Karl Williams stands
out as a top-class player with potential. As ever, classy fullback
Christian Cullen was dangerous, although Northland kept him in
check this time around.
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SOUTH CANTERBURY 23 TARANAKI 26 Half-time: 6-18
at Timaru
South Canterbury tries: D Hunter, J Mawhinney
kicks: G Dempster(2 conv, 2 pen)
Taranaki tries: E Manu, M Allen, A Slater
kicks: J Cameron(1 conv, 2 pen, 1 drop)
Taranaki survived a late charge by South Canterbury to come out on
top yesterday.
Early on Taranaki, led by charismatic prop Mark 'Bull' Allen, looked
very slick as they established an 18-6 lead by the halfway mark,
and then extended this to 23-6 only 2 minutes into the second spell
when No.8 Andy Slater drove over the line.
Then the game turned South Canterbury's way as their tight five
became much more committed, and the backs suddenly had room to
manoevre.
In the 48th minute South Canty fullback David Hunter crossed for
his side's first after 4 rucks had been won to break the Taranaki
defence. When No.8 John Mawhinney charged over in the 60th minute
an upset looked likely as Graeme Dempster converted to make it
23-20.
Taranaki first five-eighth Jamie Cameron gave his side a little
more comfort with a penalty to make it 26-20, but South Canty
replied in kind as the score went to 26-23, where it stayed.
Standing out for South Canty were opensider Ed Pawsey, Gramem
Dempster, and fullback David Hunter.
For Taranaki the powerful front row of Mark Allen, Shane McDonald,
and Gordon Slater caused South Canterbury all sorts of problems
at scrum time, taking three tightheads in the first half, although
they failed to assert themselves in the second half.
Lock Scott Lines was also impressive jumping at No.2, and he
maintained his standards for the full 80 minutes.
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### DIVISION 3 ####################################################
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EAST COAST 34 BULLER 10 Half-time: 23-10
at Tikitiki
East Coast tries: I Na Bewa, S Fonoti, K Waitoa
kicks: E Manuel(2 conv, 4 pen, 1 drop)
Buller tries: J Brazil
kicks: T Pratt(1 conv, 1 pen)
East Coast exceeded the expectations of even it's own supporters
when it registered it's first win this season.
They carved out a 23-10 halftime lead, and then put in a solid
second-half display to seal it.
Coast fullback Eli Manuel opened the scoring with a penalty after
only 2 minutes, and Iliata Na Bewa ran in a try 4 minutes later
which was converted by Manuel.
Buller hit back with a try from John Brazil to which the extras
were added by Tony Pratt, who also added a penalty later on.
Buller were knocked back however by a Sefo Fonoti runaway try
and two Manuel penalties before halftime.
Manuel popped a drop-goal early on in the second spell, and then
added another penalty. Kahu Waitoa went over for Coast's third
try to bury Buller's comeback chances.
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HOROWHENUA 20 NORTH OTAGO 16 Half-time: 13-10
at Levin
Horowhenua tries: S Tiatia, T Aioni
kicks: K Williams(2 conv, 2 pen)
North Otago tries: S Newlands
kicks: P Bleach(1 conv, 3 pen)
A bout of heavy rain just before kickoff made handling difficult,
however Horowhenua managed to achieve a vital victory over North
Otago despite conceding a great many penalties from a lack of
discipline.
North Otago scored after only 4 minutes when winger Shane Newlands
followed up a charge-down. Pat Bleach added the extras.
Horowhenua came back with some strong mauling play which made
ground before releasing the ball to the backs for winger Shane
Tiatia to go over in the corner. Kyle Williams converted, and
added 2 further penalties.
Bleach added another penalty to the North Otago total to make it
13-10 to Horowhenua at half-time. Bleach repeated the feat early in
the second spell to level the scores.
As full-time approached Horowhenua mounted a series of attacks, and
winger Tia Aiono went over to score. Williams put the conversion
over from the touchline to make the game safe. Bleach added another
penalty just on full-time.
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MARLBOROUGH 25 WANGANUI 23 Half-time: 16-10
at Blenheim
Marlborough tries: T Sloan, T Kelly, C Forsyth
kicks: C Forsyth(2 conv, 1 pen, 1 drop)
Wanganui tries: A Nagisu, J Caskey
kicks: G Lennox(2 conv, 3 pen)
As he did against East Coast a couple of weeks ago, Craig Forsyth
won this game for his side with a last-gasp drop goal.
Early on, mistakes from Forsyth gave away 2 penalties to enable
Wanganui to establish a 6-0 lead through captain Guy Lennox.
Marlborough pressured Wanganui in a sustained manner before winger
Sloan went over, converted by Forsyth. Wanganui replied through
winger Asalusi Nagisu off a kick by centre Jason Hamlin. Lennox
added the conversion.
Forsyth and Lennox then exchanged penalties to make it 16-10 to
Wanganui at half-time.
A 45m run from Marlborough second five-eighth Tom Kelly saw them
take the lead, but Wanganui replied through Jason Caskey who
wrong-footed the defence and went in under the posts, to allow
Lennox to convert and give his side a 23-17 lead.
With seven minutes left, a quick tap by Marlborough allowed Forsyth
to drive over and score.
Shortly after, a couple of strong runs saw the ball pop back to
Forsyth who calmly took the 45m drop-goal to win the match with
time up on the clock.
_____________________________________________________________________
WEST COAST 17 POVERTY BAY 30 Half-time: 9-7
at Whataroa
West Coast tries: J Hauraki
kicks: M Foster(4 pen)
Poverty Bay tries: D Andrew(3), M Morrisey
kicks: A Rangihuna(2 conv, 1 pen, 1 drop)
A hat-trick of tries from left-winger Dean Andrew put Poverty Bay
on the winning side of the ledger yesterday.
The platform provided by the Bay forwards was the main reason for
the win, as they dominated set-phase play, and enjoyed a useful
advantage in the second-phase, and in the mauls.
West Coast however led 9-7 at halftime and extended the lead to
12-7 soon after the resumption of play. Poverty Bay changed up
a gear and their forwards took control after that. Tries came in
the 46th, 54th, and 61st minutes.
West Coast managed a consolation try to their hooker Jonson Hauraki
right on full-time.
The Bay forwards were led by No.8 Mutu Ngarimu, who impressed, and
flanker Johnny Martin. Locks Emori Katalu and Mark Johnson dominated
at lineout time.
In the backline for Poverty Bay the midfield of Mike Morrisey and
Eddie Robinson ran strongly and took some containing.
For West Coast prop Mark Dineen sttod out along with lock Karl Perkins
and flanker Steve Montgomery.
RESULTS TABLES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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NPC DIVISION 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P W D L F A Pts
Counties 5 5 0 0 138 118 20
Auckland 5 4 0 1 116 77 17
Otago 5 4 0 1 122 94 17
Canterbury 6 3 1 2 231 171 15
Waikato 6 3 0 3 152 152 14
Wellington 5 2 0 3 93 145 9
North Harbour 5 1 1 3 92 104 8
Southland 6 0 0 6 111 158 5
King Country 5 1 0 4 103 139 4
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NPC DIVISION 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P W D L F A Pts
Northland 5 5 0 0 198 62 20
Taranaki 5 4 0 1 225 111 16
Hawkes Bay 5 4 0 1 178 92 16
Manawatu 6 3 0 3 178 130 14
Bay of Plenty 5 3 0 2 172 99 13
South Canterbury 5 2 0 3 114 156 9
Wairarapa Bush 5 2 0 3 113 159 8
Nelson Bays 6 1 0 5 82 335 5
Mid Canterbury 6 0 0 6 109 215 1
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NPC DIVISION 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P W D L F A Pts
Poverty Bay 5 5 0 0 171 95 20
Thames Valley 5 4 0 1 187 121 16
Horowhenua 6 4 0 2 133 123 16
Marlborough 6 3 0 3 169 164 12
Wanganui 5 2 0 3 92 78 10
North Otago 5 2 0 3 122 136 9
West Coast 5 2 0 3 79 100 8
East Coast 6 1 0 5 133 168 6
Buller 5 1 0 4 75 176 4
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NEXT WEEK
~~~~~~~~~
Key: RS Ranfurly Shield at stake
= NPC Division I
+ NPC Division II
# NPC Division III
Sat 16th Auckland = vs Counties Auckland
Otago = vs Canterbury Dunedin
North Harbour = vs Southland Takapuna
Bay of Plenty + vs South Canterbury Tauranga
Taranaki + vs Hawkes Bay New Plymouth
Northland + vs Mid Canterbury Whangarei
Nelson Bays + vs Wairarapa Bush Nelson
Buller # vs West Coast Westport
Wanganui # vs East Coast Wanganui
North Otago # vs Marlborough Oamaru
Poverty Bay # vs Thames Valley Gisborne
Sun 17th Wellington = vs King Country Wellington
Auckland against Counties, particularly if Jonah Lomu is playing
will be a superb encounter to savour. A difficult one to pick, but
I will go with Auckland, simply because they seem to know how to
win, even if it is boring to watch.
Otago vs Canterbury at the 'Brook is also a mouth-waterer, although
the Otago style of late has been disappointing. I feel they are trying
to develop a new aspect of they game, the tight approach, and although
this might be getting them some points, it is certainly less exciting
than their expansive mode. Canterbury need the points as well, so
this should be a good match. I pick Canterbury, since they will be
anxious to show that they can win away from home for once, and they
certainly have the ability to do so.
North Harbour versus Southland, I think will be a North Harbour win,
by a good margin, denying Southland their usual bonus point.
Harbour are not completely out of the championship yet, and have yet
to show the form of which they are capable.
Wellington against King Country is difficult to predict. King Country
are tough cookies, and nobody's pushover. They might just get a
surprise win over a Wellington side which has had the stuffing knocked
out of it.
Cheers,
Paul.
--
____________________________________________________________________________
Paul Waite doc@docdevl.actrix.gen.nz
Wellington, New Zealand +64-4-233-1764
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