Rugby: NZ Maori celebrate with centenary win

Shane Horgan of Ireland makes a tackle on Hosea Gear of New Zealand Maori. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Maori's centenary celebrations hit full swing in Rotorua tonight when they claimed the scalp of Ireland with a heartstopping 31-28 victory.

In an highly entertaining counter in which both sides showed showed a willingness to run the ball, the Maori made a quick start but the Irish fought back before fortunes ebbed and flowed.

Irish first five-eighth Jonathan Sexton grabbed 23 of his side's points, all from the boot, but his one miss late in the match left his side three points adrift.

Rotorua was the venue of the first match played by the Maori, who beat a local sub-union team 25-5 in 1910.

The home side were also defending a proud record in the city, where they had won 14 of their 16 matches, including the last nine going back to their defeat by the All Blacks in 1973.

The Maori, given a guard of honour by many of their former representatives, began with plenty of enthusiasm, and looked to be running away with the contest in the opening quarter.

After a Luke McAlister penalty, they scored two tries to be up 15-0 before the quarter-hour was up.

An angled run by fullback Robbie Robinson created the opening for winger Hosea Gear to dot down in the corner.

The Maori were then rewarded for keeping the ball alive with centre Dwayne Sweeney finding a hole to slip through and score.

After McAlister and Sexton traded penalties, the visitors began to work their way back into the match.

They were helped by Maori mistakes and indiscipline, with South African referee Mark Lawrence whistling a series of penalties against the home side.

Sexton took full advantage, landed every shot at goal that came his way in the first half to tie the scores at 18-18 at halftime.

Ireland, who fielded a totally starting 15 to the one that began the

66-28 defeat to the All Blacks last weekend, hit the front after the second half had barely started.

The Maori turned over the ball deep in their own territory and a slick Irish backline move ended with second five-eighth Paddy Wallace going over.

Sexton landed the conversion, before McAlister pegged back the lead with a penalty.

The Maori then brought the 13,500 crowd to their feet, with 90m try that began with a huge break by winger Sean Maitland and was finished on the other flank by Karl Lowe.

Willie Ripia's conversion put the Maori three points head, but Sexton's second 50m penalty again tied the scores.

Ripia landed a penalty to push the Maori back in front, before Sexton had his first miss off the tee for the night.

The Maori, who beat the Barbarians 37-31 last weekend, end their centenary series against England in Napier on Wednesday night.

Maori captain Liam Messam was happy with the way his team dug deep in the final 20 minutes of the closely contested game.

"The boys dug in for 80 minutes, and the last 20 really showed the character of the side," he told Sky Television afterwards.

Irish captain Geordan Murphy said his team's slow start had left with a power of work to get through.

"We gave ourselves a little bit of a mountain to climb when we went to 18 points down, but the boys stuck with it," he said. "We grafted hard, but the Maori played very well in the second half and deserved the win.

- NZPA