Makos open campaign with round-up of Stags [Nelson Mail]
There were tremors at the other end of the island on Saturday as the Tasman Makos opened their 2013 ITM Cup rugby campaign on a winning note in Invercargill.
Twenty-four hours after a series of earthquakes hit the top of the south, Tasman rocked Southland with an encouraging 25-15 win in front of the Stags' home supporters at Rugby Park Stadium.
Left-wing James Lowe was a key figure in Tasman's win, continuing the irrepressible form he had displayed all season with his champion Waimea Old Boys club team to produce another stellar performance, including scoring the game's only two tries.
Imposing English second five-eighth Andy Symons was also a big part of Tasman's dominant first-half performance, although it was the clinical set phase efforts of Tasman's forwards that provided the essential ingredient for the team's win.
A solid Tasman scrum and functional lineout established the platform as Tasman's front row of Sila Puafisi, Quentin MacDonald and Tim Perry and locks Alex Ainley and Joe Wheeler combined effectively to help stifle the effectiveness of a usually tough and physical Southland pack. Tasman loosies Shane Christie, Liam Squire and George Stowers added plenty of physicality to the equation.
However, Tasman coach Kieran Keane was measured in his acknowledgement of an otherwise convincing forward effort.
"I thought we pretty much had control throughout the first half and just failed to convert all the opportunities that were there," Keane said. "And, of course, the inevitable backlash from Southland, made it a bit jittery.
"I think the reason that we did have a little bit more control was because our set piece was solid, so it was quite good to work off, whereas in the past it hasn't always been that way.
"When we got direct with the backs off that set piece, we became quite threatening. But we didn't sustain that all the time and allowed the opposition back in."
Southland captain and prop Jamie Macintosh felt the force of Tasman's compelling first-half performance.
"In that first half, I thought they used their width and speed really well and we did a lot of work defending," Mackintosh said. "I thought we were pretty lucky only to be 14-6 down really [at halftime]."
Tasman's defence again scrambled effectively to keep Southland tryless, although Southland midfielders Cardiff Vaega and Bryan Milne and wing Keanu Kahukura occasionally reminded Tasman of their defensive responsibilities with some penetrative running.
"I thought our [defensive] line speed was a bit average and was probably one of the negatives in the game," Keane said. "We'd worked pretty solidly on that for two weeks and we didn't get that today, so we'll have to rectify that."
Tasman had opened the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty to Symons, countered just four minutes later when Southland No 10 Scott Eade equalised from a handy position. Symons restored the lead at 6-3 soon after.
But Tasman's positive attacking attitude finally paid off when a decisive break by Symons eventually freed up Lowe for the game's opening try and an 11-3 lead after 19 minutes.
A second Eade penalty reduced the margin to 11-6 before Lowe was in the action again, breaking two tackles in a strong sideline break, but his linking pass to centre Kieron Fonotia just short of the line was spilled in a desperate Southland tackle.
Lively halfback Mark Swanepoel crossed for what appeared to be Tasman's second try in the 26th-minute only for referee Richard Kelly to rule a knock-on by No 8 Stowers at the preceding attacking scrum. However, mounting pressure on Southland's line saw substitute first five-eighth Billy Guyton add Tasman's third penalty for a deserved 14-6 halftime lead.
Southland struck first after the break as two Eade penalties reduced Tasman's lead to 14-12 inside 10 minutes.
The momentum swing sparked a positive response from Southland's forwards who began to deny Tasman possession, Kahukura also being dragged down just short of the line after a sharp break.
Another two Guyton penalties helped ease some of the pressure at 20-12 although the penalty barrage continued as Eade again narrowed the gap to just five points.
Lowe blew the game open again after excellent lead up work by Fonotia and Squire saw the big wing drag Eade several metres to the tryline with 12 minutes remaining.
Swanepoel eased comfortably into Tasman's No 9 jersey with a decisive display on debut as Guyton also slipped seamlessly into first five-eighth after injuries had earlier forced out scheduled starter Hayden Cripps and his replacement Robbie Malneek. Southland's ball-pilfering hooker David Hall and flanker John Hardie were a constant menace.
For Keane, it was a satisfying start to their campaign ahead of next Saturday's ominous challenge against defending champions Canterbury in Blenheim. "I'm just glad that we're back on the horse and that we started with a win because it's not easy to win down here. So I thought the preparation prior to the game by the players was extremely good, I'm very proud of the way they did that."
