Big Tasman B win not enough [Nelson Mail]
Tasman B's representative rugby season is over despite a comprehensive 43-10 win over Canterbury Country in Culverden on Saturday.
With Tasman needing the result between the pace-setting Canterbury Colts and Canterbury Metro to go their way, the Colts ultimately secured their place in next week's South Island division B final after a last minute 22-16 win in Christchurch.
Tasman had been five points adrift of the Colts prior to Saturday's round, also needing a big win to help erase a significant points differential. While they scored six tries in beating Country to finish second on nine points, the Colts' win pushed them to 13 points and a date with the winning Highlanders' region team next weekend.
Tasman's forwards set up their victory with a dominant effort against an aggressive and, at times, confrontational Country pack. Lock and captain Jarrod Aberhart played a key role in Tasman's win, scoring two tries and also controlling the lineouts as part of Tasman's set phase superiority.
Tasman led 24-7 at halftime after flanker Mitchell Thwaites had opened the scoring, latching on to a kind bounce from a kick through in the 10th minute. First five-eighth Mike Wells added the second following a clean line break by No8 Jake Cooley, leaving Aberhart to add the third just before halftime when he finished a 30m break by hooker Vai Aukafolau, Aberhart receiving the final pass from Cooley.
Country's try came courtesy of an intercept by their wing to earlier reduce the margin to 10-7. But that was as close as the home team got as another three second-half tries, and a defensive shut out, saw Tasman finish well clear on the scoreboard.
Tasman emerged from a scrappy third quarter with their fourth try when substitute halfback Loui Harvey dummied from an attacking ruck to score midway through the half. Aberhart then added his second, from a strong break by fullback James Lowe, before midfielder Sione Holani capitalised on Country's botched restart to sprint clear and score between the posts.
Tasman's scrum, anchored superbly by Tim Perry, Aukafolau and Reuben Northover and with Aberhart and a feisty Jame Pigou providing the grunt, kept Country's pack under constant pressure. It resulted in Tasman heaving Country off their own ball at one scrum, Tasman's dominance also allowing the likes of Thwaites and Cooley to assert themselves around the field.
Tasman's backs were happy to let their forwards assume control, although they complemented their hard work up front with strong displays by Wells and Holani, with Lowe also making some damaging runs. Both halfbacks, Kaide Whiting and Harvey, also impressed.
Tasman B 43 (Jarrod Aberhart 2, Mitchell Thwaites, Mike Wells, Loui Harvey, Sione Holani tries, Wells 5 cons, pen) Canterbury Country 10. Ht 24-7.
- The Nelson Mail
