COLLECTIVE FORCE: The Magpies are dominant here but it wasn't the case for most of Saturday night's clash in Hamilton. PHOTO/CORENA HODGSON
It's true the officials started with a clanger but the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team only have themselves to blame after they were relegated from the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership on Saturday night.
Their biggest downfall this season, missed tackles, returned big time as Waikato beat them 46-22 in a ninth-round encounter at FMG Stadium in Hamilton. They missed 25 tackles, 11 more than Waikato in what was a must-win game in their quest to avoid relegation to the Championship.
As Magpies head coach Craig Philpott said:
"That's not an acceptable number. We're putting pressure on ourselves. We've got a good set piece, we were getting scrum dominance but the boys are frustrated because they're not converting that to pressure."
The Magpies didn't have the best of starts when North Harbour referee Brendon Pickerill awarded Waikato speedster Iliesa Ratuva's first try in the fifth minute after he and his two assistants missed a forward pass in the build up. While these seven points weren't the difference at the final whistle these incorrect calls can cause momentum swings and the Magpies have every right to be frustrated with at least three such calls during this season's campaign.
This loss means only pride will be at stake when the Magpies host Bay of Plenty at Napier's McLean Park in their final encounter of the season this Saturday night. Philpott was right when he said his troops had plenty of pride and this is what makes it so hard to understand why the Magpies have missed so many tackles and made so many errors during their seven losses and two wins to date.
Yes Waikato's defence was strong and the hosts were desperate to redeem themselves after three consecutive losses including a Ranfurly Shield defence against Canterbury. But the Magpies should have been equally as desperate.
A major concern was Waikato's superior impact from their substitutes. The Magpies scrum took a pounding when the starting frontrow of props Ben May and Ricky Riccitelli and captain and hooker Ash Dixon were given a rest.
There were still plenty of positives for the Magpies. Locks Mark Abbott and Geoff Cridge again shone with their workloads and Abbott has to be a serious contender for player of the year.
Wingers Mason Emerson and Jonah Lowe were again impressive. Emerson scored a cracker of a try after a clever kick ahead from pivot Ihaia West which was regathered by substitute fullback Shannan Chase who put Emerson away.
Emerson finished with an average gain of 18 metres from five carries and seven tackles. Lowe made two consecutive tackles during one sequence of play and was thirsty for work.
Magpies centre Robbie Fruean is likely to miss the Bay of Plenty game with a hamstring injury. While he was guilty of losing too much in the contact area in the greasy conditions his average gain of 13 metres from eight carries was outstanding.
There were plenty of heroes on the Waikato roster. Centre Willis Halaholo was always a threat.
Halaholo beat six defenders and finished with an average gain of 6.5 metres from 11 carries. Halfback Pele Cowley had an average gain of 19 metres from his seven carries.
Captain and No 8 Whetu Douglas was tireless and the maturity he displayed as captain belied his age of 25.
"Our season was on the line tonight. We had a rough week last week and this week was all about how we were going to respond to three consecutive losses," Douglas said afterwards.
It's time for the Magpies to produce a similar redemption performance to Waikato and finish the season with a convincing win against the Steamers. The Magpies have too much talent and Super Rugby experience to finish the season with just two wins.
Waikato 46 (Iliesa Ratuva 2, Jordan Trainor, Willis Halaholo, Tau Koloamatangi, Jason Robertson tries; Trainor 5 cons, 2 pens) Hawke's Bay 22 (Tony Lamborn, Mason Emerson, penalty try; tries; Ihaia West 2 cons, pen). HT: 27-3.
Match highlights:
Heartstopper: North Harbour referee Brendon Pickerill awarding Waikato winger Ilisea Ratuva a try in the fifth minute after he and his two assistants had missed a forward pass in the build up. Not the start the already under pressure Magpies needed.
Turning point: Ratuva's 69th-minute try which gave the hosts a 39-22 lead. The Magpies were still in the hunt until then.
Player of the match: Waikato centre Willis Halaholo. Eleven carries for an average gain of 6.5m. Five tackles and six defenders beaten. Only just ahead of captain and No 8 Whetu Douglas and halfback Pele Cowley.