Hawke's Bay Magpies substitute prop Mark Braidwood shone with his impact. Photo / Warren Buckland
Magpies 28 Taranaki 24 McLean Park, Napier
It can be tough when you play the same position as your captain ... just ask Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby flanker Tom Stanley.
"You don't get many chances so when you do you have to make the most of it. It was nice to put down a performance like that one," Stanley said after a player-of-the-match performance including the match-winning try as the Hawke's Bay Magpies pipped Taranaki 28-24 in their final ITM Cup rehearsal at Napier's McLean Park on Saturday.
His try, which came in the 75th minute, was the only time the Magpies led in the game. With captain Brendon O'Connor out of town at a wedding, Stanley, who has made only four ITM Cup appearances, three of them as a sub last year, played the entire game.
He made 12 tackles and secured a turnover at six of them, hit 24 rucks and broke the advantage line with five of his carries. His only negative was four missed tackles.
"Fingers crossed, I will get more than four games this season. I just have to keep doing the best I can," Stanley said.
"Plenty of competition is cool because you get to push each other but sometimes it's not nice for the players," he added.
While the courageous comeback from a 24-0 deficit by the Magpies was admirable and certainly confidence-boosting, they should not have been in that situation in the first place. Their start was poor.
They conceded soft turnovers and soft tries with poor defensive work. Fullback Lewis Marshall and halfback Ellery Wilson were particularly guilty of sub-standard one-on-one tackles.
Repeats of these efforts and the intercept try conceded by first five-eighth Ihaia West with his no-look pass in the 34th minute could be punished severely by Ranfurly Shield challengers, such as Northland, who take on the Magpies on Sunday.
Magpies head coach Craig Philpott agreed the defensive line speed, as well as the missed one-on-one tackles, were a concern in the first half. So was the lack of accuracy, including one of West's attempts at a penalty kick for touch which went dead.
Philpott had every right to be pleased with the scrummaging from his rookie front rowers Jary Aoake, Mark Braidwood, Jason Long and Ricky Riccitelli. They competed well and then, when Maori All Blacks and Highlanders Brendon Edmonds and Ash Dixon came on, the Magpies scrum gained the upper hand.
A back injury collected by Long was Philpott's only injury concern.
Flanker Tony Lamborn and Highlanders No8 Gareth Evans weren't far behind Stanley in the battle for player of the match. Chiefs lock Michael Allardice celebrated his commendable return from injury with the Magpies first try.
West's four successes from as many attempts at goal was the ideal form of consolation for his lapses in general play. Highlanders winger Ryan Tongia was thirsty for work and his 45th minute intercept try sparked the Magpies' comeback.
Had he not made it, Taranaki would have scored and the deficit would have been too huge at 29-7. The fact the Magpies kept Taranaki scoreless in the second half was a tribute to their improved defensive effort and this sort of work is what will be required if they want the shield to remain in the Bay.
Halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, second five-eighth Charlie Ngatai and centre Sean Wainui were among Taranaki's first half heroes. There was little for the visitors to enthuse about in the second half but they boast enough talent to go close to retaining the Premiership.
Match details
* Heartstopper: That no-look pass from Magpies first five-eighth Ihaia West which led to an intercept try from Naki halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi. With the conversion from Codey Rei the visitors led 24-0 after 34 minutes.
* Turning point: Magpies flanker Tom Stanley's match-winning try in the 75th minute. It put the Magpies in front for the first time and with West's conversion completed the 28-24 victory.
* Player of the match: Stanley. Busy in the tussle for the loose ball, clever with his link play, gutsy on defence and of course the crucial try.
* Scorers: Hawke's Bay 28 (Michael Allardice, Ryan Tongia, Mark Braidwood, Tom Stanley tries; Ihaia West 4 cons) Taranaki 24 (Sean Wainui, Charlie Ngatai, Latu Vaeno, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi tries; Codey Rei 2 cons). HT: Taranaki 24-7.