Not content to lock away the Ranfurly Shield for the summer, Taranaki now want the national provincial sevens crown - and based on yesterday's showing at Mt Maunganui they look odds-on for some overdue success.
'Naki bullocked though the Bay Engineers Supplies-sponsored provincial tournament at Blake Park with all thetact of a runaway freight train, dousing Hawke's Bay title hopes 24-21 in the championship semifinal before smashing Canterbury 40-0 in a lopsided final, playing with pace, poise and power in a six-try rout.
Veteran Taranaki halfback Brett Goodin said they travelled north on New Year's day motivated to perform.
"We've driven up here the last few years and have never done well, usually playing a shocker, but I think the key today was we stayed off the piss over that New Year break and arrived just that bit fitter and fresher, which probably showed."
Taranaki, with national sevens players Ben Souness and Kylem O'Donnell in their ranks, launched from the outset and were 19-0 up at halftime with tries to Whaimotu Craft-Chemis (2) and Fijian destroyer Seta Tamanivula.
Craft-Chemis got his hat-trick soon after the break, with Waisake Naholo adding a second-half brace in a near-flawless performance where their sole indiscretion in 20 minutes was a knock-on.
Goodin, who nailed four conversions, a couple of them from the side chalk, said they'd be better for the run after bashing each other since late November.
"This is it as far as build-up tournaments goes and we've pretty much been hitting each other in training, so it was nice to put a few hits on actual opponents for a change.
"I've got no idea how we'll go in Queenstown [at this weekend's national sevens tournament] but we're pretty determined to win it and go one step better than the last couple of years."
Auckland flexed its muscles in the women's championship, seeing off Waikato 21-5 in their semifinal to set up a showdown with surprise packets Wairarapa Bush, who ended the title hopes of Chinese side Shandong A 33-12.
Wairarapa scored first in the final through Amy Turner before the Aucklanders took control, jumping to a 29-7 lead in front of new national women's coach Sean Horan before Wairarapa scored a couple of late consolation efforts.
Home wasn't a happy place for the Bay of Plenty teams, with the women losing in pool play 29-5 to Waikato, 24-5 to Shandong A and 22-14 to Taranaki.
Bay of Plenty men, hunting for their third consecutive title, topped pool B with wins over Horowhenua-Kapiti 29-24 and Bay of Plenty Invitation 21-5 but were dumped out by Canterbury in the first knockout round 19-5.
