Mako score 45-24 bonus point win over Southland
When you win by 21 points and sit on topof the Mitre 10 Cup points table it’s hard to be too critical of yourperformance.
But I’m sure the Tasman Mako camp willbe looking harshly at some of their work, despite the 45-24 scoreline againstSouthland at Lansdowne Park today.
While nothing can be taken away from aStags side that tackled their hearts out, the Mako created enough scoringopportunities to run in at least another four or five tries. They pulled offsome new moves, which cleverly created space, only for the final pass orcleanout to let them down on many occasions.
Their defence also leaked four tries,including two in the final 10 minutes, mirroring the Canterbury game last weekand taking the gloss off a seven-try bonus point effort.
However, on a balmy Sunday in Blenheim,the positives far outweighed the negatives for the home side.
Both prop Ryan Coxon and first five TimO’Malley, given their first starting opportunity of the season, impressed.Coxon anchored a dominant scrum and carried well, while O’Malley showed goodgame sense in the 10 jersey and defended strongly.
The day’s Mako debutant, No 8 IsaiahMiller, also had a day to remember, driving the defensive wall back with ballin hand and hitting hard without it.
Ethan Blackadder was again a standoutforward, working equally effectively in defence and attack. David Havili showedthe benefit of his experience with a strong showing in midfield, while SolomonAlaimalo and Will Jordan were ever-dangerous in broken play, Jordan’s last-gaspindividual try a particularly classy effort to send the fans home happy.
Young locks Quinten Strange and PariPari Parkinson continue to impress, carrying out their core roles superbly aswell as offering clever touches with ball in hand.
With their set pieces operating well,the Mako had a solid platform to base their game on. However, the breakdownintensity and accuracy that had served them so well against Canterbury wasabsent for long periods.
After scoring the first try off aforward drive, the Mako leaked two touchdowns to a gutsy opponent who were ableto make the most of late offloads. Two tries late in the first spell ensuredthe home side led at the break, but it was far from the opening 40 the Makodesired.
Head coach Leon MacDonald said themessage was clear at halftime, "we just weren’t taking care of the stuffwe had talked about doing … we were letting them win the race to the breakdownand coming second there. The players put it on themselves to tidy that area upand I thought we did a better job in the second half but it was disappointingto lose those little battles in the first half and it kept them right in thegame.”
The Mako management went to their benchearly in the second spell with, as MacDonald explained, a two-fold objective.
"We need to manage the minutes ofsome of the critical players, such as David Havili who is coming off a big loadand is in a physical position, especially the way he plays it.
"Plus there are the other guys whoneed game time. We need to have a strong squad, not just a strong XV, so it isreally important to get the players 16 through to 23 out there as well.”
The concession of tries late in the gamewas a disappointment. "We talked a lot about playing the whole 80 minutesthis week and we definitely didn’t do that,” said MacDonald.
"We were on our heels defensivelyat time – not pushing forward. Whether that was fatigue or just playersswitching off, we’ll have to work that one out.”
While the Mako will be more than happyto bank five points today, especially since they were winless at the same stagelast year, they will be under no illusions as to what lies ahead.
While their performance could hardly betermed a "wake-up call” it is a timely reminder that every team in thecompetition is capable of punishing you if you drop your standards.
Next up for the Mako is a Saturdayevening showdown in Albany with fellow table-toppers North Harbour, a teamTasman have traditionally struggled against.
"We are not good enough to turn upand bully teams, we have to bring our A game every week,” warned MacDonald."There’s a bit of learning there for some guys … you have to get thepreparation right off the field each week otherwise you will get second on it.”
