Skipper praises Tasman coaches [Marlborough Express]
Stand-in skipper Joe Wheeler heaped praise on Tasman coaches Kieran Keane and Leon MacDonald after the team from the top of the south surged into its first national provincial championship final.
Top qualifiers Tasman withstood a dogged Southland challenge to book themselves a place in the second-tier championship final after an enthralling 49-28 win in Blenheim on Saturday.
The Makos will host Hawke's Bay at Trafalgar Park in the season decider on Friday night after finally outscoring the Stags by six tries to four in an action-packed contest which kept the Lansdowne Park crowd thoroughly entertained.
It's the first time Tasman, an amalgamation of the Nelson Bays and Marlborough unions, has made a final since its inception in 2006 and comes five years after the joint venture was on the verge of going bust.
The significance of Saturday's win wasn't lost on lock Wheeler, who stood in as captain for concussed flanker Shane Christie, and he was rapt to get a win for coach Keane and his assistant, MacDonald.
"They've been with us for five years now," he said. "We went through a tough time when we thought we were going to go under but they hung tough and we managed to keep a core group together and we are just starting to show the fruits.
"I can't speak highly enough of them. They put the hard yards in, they don't get paid handsomely like (coaches at) other unions, they do it for the love of this region and I'm proud we could do a job for them."
First half tries to flanker Tevita Koloamatangi, outstanding No 8 Liam Squire and winger Mitchell Scott, and the boot of Marty Banks, saw Tasman bolt to a 30-7 halftime lead.
Squire's sixth try of the season saw him equal the provincial season record shared by former Makos wingers Peter Playford and Peter Betham and current player James Lowe.
Southland made a statement soon after the restart with two tries within 15 minutes to cut the deficit to just 30-21. But Tasman redeemed themselves soon after when winger Bryce Heem scored in the corner, retrieving the ball after it had been knocked out of his hands, for a 35-21 lead.
Substitute fullback Robbie Malneek and Banks also dotted down to ensure a comfortable 21-point winning margin.
In Dunedin, rugged Hawke's Bay loose forward Karl Lowe loves playing under the roof of Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The final, against the rampant Tasman side in Nelson, will be Lowe's 100th, and farewell game for his province, and he dearly hopes they can mark the occasion by earning promotion back to the top flight.
