Makos ride the highs and lows of a frantic season [Nelson Mail]
Another seven days and the Tasman Makos' rugby season will be over.
When the final whistle blows in their round 13 match against Manawatu at Trafalgar Park some time just after 9pm next Thursday, the Makos will have played 10 matches in 41 days.
That's averaging roughly one game every four days as the New Zealand Rugby Union looks to push through its domestic provincial season ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which starts with the All Blacks' opening clash with Tonga at Eden Park in just 22 days.
And whatever happens in Tasman's next two matches – against Otago and this season's new upstarts, Manawatu – the experience gleaned by everyone concerned in their campaign over the past five or so weeks will most likely prove the most valuable of assets heading into next year's ITM Cup season.
While it's easy and often convenient to sit back and point fingers at a Tasman side that have felt the full range of emotions this season – from the abject depths of defeat against Premiership team Waikato to the exquisite highs of Tuesday's win over Auckland – the team have been forced to endure physical and mental stress unparallelled in any other season.
Of course, so have every other team, although in Tasman's case, their comparative lack of player depth has frequently been exposed.
They've made plenty of mistakes, some of which have denied them potential wins, as they continue to struggle near the foot of the Championship points table.
Yet, through it all, they've displayed a resilience that finally paid dividends at Trafalgar Park on Tuesday as they held on for a stunning – and thoroughly deserved – victory.
The five major unions claim they're also feeling the pinch as the loss of All Blacks and injuries put a strain on their own resources. But in most cases, bigger budgets and broader player bases mean that those protestations consistently fall on deaf ears in the smaller provinces like Tasman.
There's even anecdotal evidence from players in several unions that some are actually enjoying the unfamiliar regime of playing at least twice a week. It means fewer trainings and fitness tests as players simply rock up to their next game.
It really has been a tough campaign for Tasman, with chief executive Peter Barr's resolve to keep the books balanced and maintain some financial integrity arguably at odds with the coaches' desire to acquire more depth in some key areas.
But blow the budget and Tasman might not be around for too long, requiring some flexibility from everyone.
There's little room to manoeuvre.
Coaches Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald, have been variously frustrated, embarrassed, exhilarated and jubilant, sometimes all in the same week, as their players highlight the often wafer-thin line between victory and defeat, and the balance between developing genuine home talent and maintaining the team's competitiveness.
And, as lock Joe Wheeler said after Tuesday's win, the Makos will always keep you guessing.
- The Nelson Mail
