North Harbour 19 Taranaki 13
KEY POINTS:
Seems like North Harbour have taken a liking to the Log O' Wood they stuffed into the cabinet last season.
Certainly they don't appear too keen about giving it up and made that clear to Taranaki last night.
Harbour, sloppy and only partially committed last week, were far
tighter, far more accurate and really pumped up for their first proper defence.
The difference was so marked we have to wonder if the abomination against Northland was a ruse to lull Taranaki into a false sense of security.
For 60 minutes, Harbour were so in control in terms of territory and possession if not the scoreboard, Taranaki never looked remotely likely to win Perhaps just for the fun of making things uncomfortably close, they slipped out of gear in the final quarter.
Where once they had been assured and clever, they became tentative, allowing Taranaki to take control. When the visitors nabbed a fortunate try after 65 minutes when the ball squirmed out of a ruck and Craig Clarke pounced, there was a real sense of game on.
It was 19-13 and Taranaki were camped in Harbour's 22. They had their chances and Harbour, most notably when Junior Polu had a kick charged down, were keen to assist.
The final minutes were dramatic. They were hectic and for Harbour fans nerve-racking.
Harbour held on just, partly because they scrambled well on defence and partly because Taranaki lacked a bit of composure.
That was probably a just result, given the home side's earlier efforts.
Harbour's forwards played with a controlled aggression, featuring some impressive close quarter work. When the big men weren't hammering away, Tusi Pisi was drilling the ball deep into enemy territory or sensibly bringing Rudi Wulf or Anthony Tuitavake back into the traffic.
That tight driving and tactical kicking game is not really Harbour's bag. They are all set up for more adventure, a bit of derring-do.
Which is why this victory was more impressive than the score suggests. They had to play to a pattern that was alien to their natural instincts and they adapted - none more ably than Pisi.
Pisi mixed things up as well as could be expected and didn't take any risks. Harbour also executed most of their crucial plays and set-pieces with a clinical accuracy.
And that was exactly what was required to win. The frilly stuff can come another night. On a dry track with a dry ball.
Nick Williams is clearly relishing the responsibility of the captaincy and the big No 8 was his usual high-impact self with ball in hand.
Both Harbour coach Wayne Pivac and Blues coach David Nucifora, will have been a little concerned that Williams's work-rate tailed off.
However, Williams did keep it simple, as did the two giant Harbour props Ben Afeaki and James Afoa.
Afeaki and Afoa (combined weight 267kg) got around well and went above and beyond with their contribution in the loose. They take some putting down although one man who could make it look easy would be team-mate Tom Chamberlain.
The Harbour openside is a real find - aggressive in contact and dynamic round the fringes.
His punishing defence left Taranaki with nowhere to run when they tried to bust up the middle and when Waikato come in a couple of weeks, Harbour will be hoping they too run out of ideas.
North Harbour 19 (A. Tuitavake try; J. McPhee con, pen; M. Harris 3 pens), Taranaki 13 (C. Clarke try; K. Morath con, 2 pens). Halftime: 10-3.