The New Zealand Warriors, with five-eighth Jerome Ropati scoring four tries, today continued their late season resurgence with a 42-16 victory over the Sydney Roosters in Auckland.
Ropati's haul was one short of Francis Meli's club record for a match, while winger Patrick Ah Van chimed in with a double.
The win was the Warriors' fourth in a row and lifted them to ninth on the table, but with the playoffs out of reach.
After some poor crowds at Mt Smart Stadium this season, a good attendance of 12,711 turned up on a spring-like day to see Super League-bound Awen Guttenbeil and Brent Webb play their last home matches for the club.
Apart from conceding eight tries, the Roosters, who were also out of semifinal contention, struggled to break down the opposition defence.
The Warriors dominated the early stages and were on the board after seven minutes through record-breaker Ruben Wiki.
A nicely-timed pass by five-eighth Grant Rovelli sent Wiki through a hole and the prop, playing his 265th first-grade game, the most by a New Zealander, grabbed his sixth try of the season.
The home side went further ahead when Guttenbeil's deft pass sent Ropati over for his first touchdown.
Down 12-0, the Roosters hit back via two counter-attacks. The first came when fullback Shaun Foley took advantage of a loose Warrior pass to break upfield.
Wiki and centre Lance Hohaia chased to haul Foley in, but the Roosters managed to work the ball to winger Amos Roberts to cross.
Then it was the turn of prop Anthony Tupou to break out of defence to set up centre Iosia Soliola for a try that pulled the visitors back to 12-10.
However, a Tupou behind-the-back pass went astray and Ah Van was on hand to sprint 60m for the Warriors' third try.
Ropati should have put his side further ahead, but dropped the ball as he dived over the line.
But he made amends shortly after with a fine individual effort to help the Warriors to a 20-10 halftime lead.
Interchange forward Epalahame Lauaki, who continued his impressive form of the past couple weeks after a long injury break, scored after a bruising run, before Ropati completed his hat-trick from a Hohaia kick-ahead.
Winger Sam Perrett got one back for the Roosters after Wiki was sinbinned for holding down in a tackle.
But Ropati's fourth, followed by Ah Vans second, were the icing on the cake for the home fans.
- NZPA
The New Zealand Warriors, with five-eighth Jerome Ropati scoring four tries, today continued their late season resurgence with a 42-16 victory over the Sydney Roosters in Auckland.
Ropati's haul was one short of Francis Meli's club record for a match, while winger Patrick Ah Van chimed in with a double.
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