The Whanganui Maori team with the Tuera Shield after defeating Taranaki Maori at the TSB Hub on Saturday.
One out of two ain't bad for the visiting teams at Hawera's TSB Hub as a reinforced Whanganui Maori side proved too strong for Taranaki Maori, bringing the Tuera Shield back to the river after a comprehensive 29-12 win today.
Fielding the better part of the shadow Steelform Wanganui tight five plus other Heartland Championship veterans in the loose forwards, against a home side who were eager but clearly the third tier squad of their union, Whanganui played the best of Ruapehu and Taihape-style rugby, while receiving first use of the blustery wind.
First-five Mitchell Millar was able to line up a couple of early penalty attempts, landing the first, while Whanganui pinning Taranaki in their own half allowed eagle-eyed halfback Cameron Davies to sneak through and snatch a ruck-pass intercept to dive over beside the posts for 10-0.
Hooker/captain Roman Tutauha and flanker Jamie Hughes were tireless in creating defensive turnovers and opening up attacking options off the ruck – Hughes being the standout openside from all of the four teams on the Hicks Park fields.
Trying to play open style even into the wind, Taranaki turned over possession attempting a breakout from their 22m, and from the ruck, Tutauha spread the ball to Hughes, who stepped inside the cover defence and dragged the last defender over for 17-0.
Defending a series of tap penalties on their tryline, Hughes earned a warning from the referee, and shortly after the touch judge spotted another infringement and reserve prop Wiremu Cottrell was sinbinned just before the break.
But if Taranaki Maori thought having the wind behind them and a man advantage to start the second half would let them turn the momentum, they were mistaken as Whanganui's veteran forwards kept building pressure and time in possession with strong surges and solid ball control.
Earning a penalty at the tryline, Whanganui made a quick tap and Hughes dived low to get his double, with Millar landing a crazy conversion into the wind – which he deliberately started far left, only for the strong breeze to take it on the angle and go over just inside the right-hand post.
That gave Whanganui a comfortable buffer as they had to play defence in their own half for some time, before again grinding forward against their increasingly desperate opposition.
After going close in the corner, Whanganui pinched Taranaki's lineout throw, and Hughes had a dart at the line before offloading for Millar to run untouched under the posts, although the intensifying wind took his attempted drop-kick conversion straight up in the air and then backwards.
Taranaki were going to run out of time, but stayed on attack for the remainder of the match, getting a barge over try after a series of ruck carries, and then working a good backline spread from a 22m scrum win to create an overlap and score in the corner.
But Whanganui Maori were already celebrating and coach Dennis Tucker was delighted to bring the Shield back home after narrow losses in the past two seasons.
"It's like the best feeling ever. You've got to thank the two Jasons [Caskey, Hamlin] for giving us these boys.
"You've got guys like Jamie, Roman and PT [Hay-Horton] that lead by example.
"Cam [Davies] was unreal.
"First half, we played the corners, and then their defence was unbelieveable."
With 20 players after a couple of withdrawals, Tucker also singled out Joe Edwards, who moved to cover the blindside flanker role, and the brother props in Te Uhi and Gabriel Hakaraia, who along with Tutauha and Cottrell laid the foundation up front.
It is likely to be a different looking Maori squad that defends Miki Haddon Memorial taonga against Manawatu Maori in September.
Whanganui Maori 29 (J Hughes 2, C Davies, M Millar tries; Millar pen, 3 con) bt Taranaki Maori 12. HT: 17-0.