The Bay of Plenty Steamers lost to Auckland 27-12 on Saturday in Rotorua. Pictured is Bay of Plenty try scorer Johan Bardoul (with ball) in action. PHOTOS/STEPHEN PARKER
The Bay of Plenty Steamers lost to Auckland 27-12 on Saturday in Rotorua. Pictured is Bay of Plenty try scorer Johan Bardoul (with ball) in action. PHOTOS/STEPHEN PARKER
The Bay of Plenty Steamers have suffered a bitter defeat to Auckland after leading 12-0 at half time.
A horror second half on Saturday saw the home side concede 27 unanswered points, to lose 27-12 at Rotorua International Stadium.
The Steamers faithful were in great voice during the first halfbut could barely believe their eyes in the second.
Within the space of seven minutes the lead was gone, and with it all the momentum.
Auckland were awarded penalty after penalty in a stop-start second 40, kicking five penalties and scoring two tries.
The Steamers bench could only watch as their team's lead slipped away on Saturday. Photo/Stephen Parker
It is the second game in a row where Auckland has rescued a result after trailing at halftime. They defeated Wellington 31-30 last week after trailing 30-6 at the break.
The first points of the game came after 12 minutes.
The Steamers forward pack almost barged over before Te Aihe Toma summed up the situation well and put in a deft, cross-field kick.
Unfortunately, Joe Royal dropped the ball, bombing a certain try. Royal repaid his teammates 40 seconds later though, when the forwards pushed their way over the line and Royal scored. Nic Evemy successfully converted to make it 7-0.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Johan Bardoul scored a nice individual try to add to the Steamers' lead, spinning out of a tackle on the opposition 22m line before racing away to score.
It was all going the Bay's way towards the back end of the half, and Evemy almost added to the lead.
He toed a grubber through the defence and was just beaten to the ball on the try line.
The Steamers went into the sheds with plenty of applause from the home crowd, leading 12-0. However, it was a horror start to the second half for the Steamers. The Aucklanders scored 13 points inside the opening seven minutes. Gareth Anscombe kicked two penalties, including a 50m effort, and Lolagi Visinia also scored a cracking individual try. He collected the ball out wide on half way, beating two soft tackles and racing away to score. Auckland were in again five minutes later when danger man Visinia somehow stayed in the field of play and planted the ball down on the try line, in the corner.
Auckland continued to dominate in the second half kicking a further three penalties to win 27-12.
Steamers coach Kevin Schuler said when Auckland scored those early points in the second half it changed the game. "That just changed the momentum of the game really quickly and I think out of that we started chasing," he said.
"I think it ended up 11 breakdown penalties against us which ultimately gave them that access to the game and they just kept ticking the score over."
Next Saturday the Steamers will get a chance to lift the Ranfurly Shield from Hawke's Bay's hands in Napier, after the Magpies repelled Otago's challenge for the log of wood in style yesterday.
Bay of Plenty Steamers 12 (Joe Royal, Johan Bardoul tries; Nic Evemy con) Auckland 27 (Lolagi Visinia 2 tries; Gareth Anscombe con, 5 pen).
