Ordinary Auks slow to start

Manawatu 10 Auckland 41

In their heyday, Manawatu were a bruising outfit. Loose forwards such as Kevin Eveleigh cut down people like a chain saw.

Flanker Mark "Cowboy" Shaw would smack the ball up with total disregard for his opponents' safety and in driving rucks, he would occasionally re-educate them about the location of the sun, moon and stars.

Backs such as Ken Granger would punish the opposition with clean, direct play and they knew how to deal with the big city boys who wandered into Palmerston North.

For about 25 minutes, Manawatu gave rugby fans who could remember those days huge amusement as they rattled a loose-looking Auckland outfit which rather wandered into this early clash looking like they expected the romp virtually everyone had predicted.

Auckland scored early with a try to debutant lock Joe Tekori and then seemed to conclude they'd done enough to win. They were ponderous, passes were telegraphed or inaccurate, first five-eighths Tasesa Lavea was hesitant and Manawatu pulled off some snorting tackles, disrupted the Auckland ball supply, with lock Hayden Triggs lord of the lineouts, and crunched up on attack.

It couldn't last, of course, and when Auckland managed to string enough passes together, their one-side-of-the-field-to-the-other recycling outflanked the Manawatu defence.

Prop Saimone Taumoepeau and then centre Jamie Helleur scored from such moves. Helleur got a second when halfback Taniela Moa sold yet another dummy to the Manawatu defence around the ruck and Isa Nacewa's classy distribution did the rest, Auckland leading at halftime 24-3.

Nacewa was the pick of Auckland's players, topping the list in penetration and urgency, while lock Kurtis Haiu again showed his prolific work-rate.

Auckland will view this win as a build-up towards tougher encounters but can be pleased with their interesting newcomers, including wings David Smith and Chris Mahony and particularly utility back Lachie Munro.

He took over from Lavea in the second spell and straight away threw a fine space-making pass to flanker Daniel Braid to set up fullback Brent Ward for a try.

In the 20 minutes after halftime, Manawatu impressed again, with loose forwards Nick Crosswell, Josh Bradnock and Bertus Mulder teaming well and hooker Rob Foreman scored to make it 29-10 after an old-fashioned Manawatu drive when Auckland's Jerome Kaino was sin-binned.

It was as close as Manawatu got. Auckland subbed on Steve Devine for Moa and looked sharper, structuring tries to No 8 Brad Mika and Munro.

Manawatu were supposed to be sacrificial lambs but it was Auckland who looked a bit sheepish at the end.

Manawatu 10 (R. Foreman try; G. Smith con, pen).
Auckland 41 (J. Helleur 2, J. Tekori, S. Taumoepeau, B. Ward, B. Mika, L. Munro tries; Ward 2 cons; Munro con).
HT: 24-3