Rugby: Uppercut to Bay pride

Magpies head coach Craig Philpott. Photo / Duncan Brown

There's a big 8 and big 4 on one set of the Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team's training shirts.

Those numbers are there to remind the team of when the Hawke's Bay union was formed ... 1884. A union with this much history, and a fair chunk of it proud, doesn't deserve performances like yesterday's 35-15 loss to the Tasman Makos in their ITM Cup opener in Blenheim.

The Magpies start, in particular, was shocking. The Magpies trailed 13-0 after 19 minutes and 23-3 at halftime.

As Magpies captain and openside flanker Brendon O'Connor pointed out afterwards their start was a continuation of a trend developed during their pre-season matches. Head coach Craig Philpott last week placed a huge emphasis on starting well.

"We spoke about the need to start better ... the need to bring some enjoyment and some fizz to the start. But during the first 15 minutes we struggled and it was a flat start. We conceded two soft tries and nine points worth of penalties.

"At the same time the Makos play a good brand of rugby and I'm picking them to reach the semifinals in the Premiership," Philpott said.

Another of the Magpies pre-season programme's dilemmas, missed tackles, were again evident. The Magpies missed seven in the first half, four more than the Makos.

"It wasn't so much the number of the missed tackles, it was the accuracy at tackle time. We weren't dropping them low enough and they were able to keep the ball alive a lot," Philpott said.

He was forced to make a late change to his team with Highlanders winger Richard Buckman withdrawing on Thursday night. His bruised quad collected the previous week was still an issue and this meant Ryan Tongia switched from fullback to wing and Trinity Spooner-Neera was promoted from the Hawke's Bay Development side to the subs bench.

The Makos, who haven't lost to the Magpies since 2009, enjoyed 72 per cent of the territory in the first half. They opened their account in the second minute when Chiefs No 8 Liam Squire, who seems to always shine against the Magpies, busted the defensive line and put lock Joe Wheeler under the posts with a confident 13 metre inside pass.

First five-eighth Marty Banks, who succeeded with six of his seven attempts at goal and impressed with his options and tempo control, slotted the conversion. Penalties from Banks in the 11th and 19th minutes had the hosts ahead 13-0.

Magpies first five-eighth Ihaia West, whose first penalty attempt from a handy spot bounced off the right upright, put the visitors on the scoreboard with a 22nd minute penalty. Banks' third penalty in the 27th minute had the Makos leading 16-3.

If there was any truth in former Magpies mentor and Makos head coach Kieran Keane's pre-match comments about his troops going into the match underdone it had disappeared by the 39th minute when Makos winger and All Black Sevens rep Bryce Heem scored and Banks added the conversion from wide out.

Makos captain and openside flanker Shane Christie said at halftime his coaches had called for more of the same in the second half and they responded when second five-eighth Tom Marshall capitalised on more dropped ball from the Magpies and scampered away to score. Banks converted and Tasman led 30-3.

Centre Robbie Fruean scored the Magpies first try in the 51st minute with an intercept which provided an easy conversion for West. Faint hopes of a Magpies comeback were dashed when substitute back David Havili scored the Makos bonus point try in the 56th minute.

To their credit the Magpies never gave up and displayed plenty of enterprise, albeit a lot of it inaccurate, during the final quarter and were rewarded with a 62nd minute try to captain and openside flanker Brendon O'Connor.

While O'Connor was tireless on defence, No8 Gareth Evans shone with his carries particularly in the second half. Fruean was always a threat on attack but, like fellow members of the Magpies backline, will be disappointed with his defensive work.

Squire and Christie were the heroes in a cohesive Makos pack. Banks, Marshall and fullback James Lowe were classy in the winning backline.

"We scored a few good tries but we bombed a few too," Christie said afterwards.

"With more cohesion we will get there. We were also a bit rusty in the rucks," he added.

In addition to a vastly improved start, more polish in all aspects of play will be a must if the Magpies are to win their home Cup game of the season, another crossover clash, against Taranaki at McLean Park on Friday night. The Magpies only need to look at their training shirts to be reminded of their union's history.

Their other set of training shirts have the 0 and 6 numerals, reference to the Bay's area phone code, and rugby folk within this area will run out of patience big time if there's a repeat of this performance.

Match Stats

Tasman Makos 35 (Joe Wheeler, Bryce Heem, Tom Marshall, David Havili tries; Marty Banks 3 pens, 3 cons) HB Magpies 15 (Robbie Fruean, Brendon O'Connor tries; Ihaia West pens, con). HT: 23-3.

Turning point: Makos winger Bryce Heem's 39th-minute try. With Marty Banks' conversion the hosts led 23-3 and this was too big a deficit for the Magpies to haul in.

Heartstopper: Magpies winger Ryan Tongia's foot into touch in the 16th minute which prevented an early try from the visitors and a much-needed spark.

Player of the match: Makos No 8 Liam Squire. A phenomenal workload particularly in the first half. Powerful charges and line busts and destructive in the tackle.