Individual brilliance helped Auckland recover from a shaky start to beat Bay of Plenty 41-30 in an entertaining NPC first division rugby match in Mt Maunganui today.
Spectators at Blue Chip Stadium certainly got value for money in a free flowing encounter that produced nine tries.
Five of them wentto Auckland, who found themselves 11-17 in arrears at halftime before their superior individual skills won the day.
Auckland's persistence in playing a flashy, unscripted style was ultimately rewarded against a Bay of Plenty side who knocked the visitors off stride in the first half when tries to captain Wayne Ormond and fullback Adrian Cashmore earned them a 17-8 advantage.
Auckland continued to throw the ball about after the interval and eventually found space for tries to big wing Tony Koonwaiyou, who dashed 50m down the left-hand touchline, and centre Isa Nacewa to snatch the lead back at 26-17 nine minutes after the restart.
They both came when Bay of Plenty were down to 14 men after referee Lyndon Bray sinbinned halfback Charles Hubbard for a professional foul when killing the ball in a ruck shortly before halftime.
Bay of Plenty struck back when hooker Aleki Lutui scored a try in the corner after being fed on the short side by Hubbard following a lineout.
Auckland's Brent Ward and Murray Williams traded penalties to leave Auckland ahead 29-25 entering the final quarter before they put the result beyond doubt with further tries to replacement flanker Jerome Kaino and a second for Nacewa.
Kaino's was a gem. The big loose forward turned over possession in a maul then backed up when halfback Taniela Moa directed an attack down the blindside to accept the final pass and score.
Bay of Plenty had the last say when substitute James Afoa crossed the tryline, after Ormond took a tap penalty just short of the line, to secure a fourth try and bonus point.
Auckland 41 (Isa Nacewa 2, Daniel Braid, Tony Koonwaiyou, Jerome Kaino tries; Brent Ward 4 pen, 2 con) Bay of Plenty 30 (Wayne Ormond, Adrian Cashmore, Aleki Lutui, James Afoa tries; Murray Williams 2 pen, 2 con). Halftime: 11-17.
