KEY POINTS:
AIR NZ CUP Auckland 25 Manawatu 3
The Ranfurly Shield stays in Auckland but street-smart burglars will fancy they could quite easily acquire it in a smash-and-grab raid.
Manawatu, after 14 years of being denied a challenge, were hopeful they could make history and head south with the treasured wooden loot.
They didn't have quite enough clout in their tight five, accuracy at the lineout or inventive spark out wide to pull off the win. They were organised, gutsy and opportunistic at times, which made them competitive without ever posing a lethal threat.
It didn't help their cause that they had to swallow some harsh refereeing calls, none more costly than a penalty try to Auckland midway through the second half.
Manawatu coach Dave Rennie did not argue that wing Lote Raikabula had deliberately slapped the ball out when defending a kick in his in-goal area. There was, however, a strong case made that it was by no means probable Ben Atiga would have scored but for the foul act.
"If you look where Atiga landed, it was past the dead-ball line," Rennie said. "But we didn't lose because of that. We didn't get our lineout going and what ball we did have, we didn't treasure."
And that was lucky for Auckland who were tentative and awkward for much of the game. They did enough to win without ever convincing.
Their victory was built on individual talent not collective spirit.
As Auckland contained two regular All Blacks and three others who have been involved with the squad this year, it would have been a cause for serious concern if they hadn't steered the ship home.
The presence of John Afoa and Keven Mealamu in the Auckland front row gave them a scrum ascendancy they will be disappointed they didn't more effectively exploit.
There was no cutting edge to Auckland's backline. Isaia Toeava didn't do anything wrong at first five-eighths, he just lacked the experience and authority to find the best places to attack. Outside him, Benson Stanley was feeling his way back after injury, Lachie Munro was at fullback instead of his preferred first-five role and Watisoni Lotawa was making his debut on the wing and there was a lack of fluency.
It wasn't disastrously bad, it was more a case of making Auckland look a little stilted when they were after ruthless cohesion.
"Our first priority was to win the shield," said Auckland coach Pat Lam. "After that, though, it was pretty average. We made a lot of basic errors and we looked a bit tentative and disjointed. But you can never take away that work ethic and commitment from the boys.
"I think our All Blacks brought some confidence. For a young prop like Paea Fa'anunu to be out there and maybe feeling some pressure, it was great for him to look around and see Kev [Mealamu] and Johnny [Afoa] next to him."
Mealamu and Afoa are likely to play again this week against Waikato and there is also a possibility of Joe Rokocoko returning.
The big wing has been training with the squad for several weeks now and taking some light contact. If Rokocoko can get through the week with no reaction to his wrist injury, Lam might start him in Hamilton.
Whether Toeava will remain at first five is a decision that will be put off until later in the week.
Lam was happy with the way Toeava played and also thought Munro provided some incisive qualities as well as a strong kicking game from fullback where he had more space and time.
The match in Hamilton will be the last under Lam, who will begin his new job as Blues coach, and it will be a game this young Auckland side will be desperate to win so they can start building some confidence and momentum towards the business end.
Southland will be at Eden Park in two weeks and could pull off a smash and grab raid if they encounter an out-of-sorts Auckland.
Auckland 25 (T. Moa, B. Atiga tries; penalty try; L. Munro 2 pens, 2 cons) Manawatu 3 (A. Cruden pen)
