Rugby: Hawke's Bay sink Manawatu

Israel Dagg of Hawkes Bay skips away from Craig Clare of Manawatu. Photo / Getty Images

Hawke's Bay finally got a tick in the win column with a 17-9 win over Manawatu in a fifth round ITM Cup match at Palmerston North today.

The result saw Manawatu fall to their fifth straight loss of the season despite a promising 9-6 lead at halftime.

Both teams, down on confidence after each suffering four straight losses, were unable to exert their authority on the game for any great period of time.

Promising moves often broke down in midfield and turnovers were the order of the day.

It was left to the light sprinkling of All Blacks in the game -- Aaron Cruden for Manawatu, dress rehearsing for his anticipated callup to start against Australia in the Tri-Nations in two weeks in place of the injured Dan Carter and Israel Dagg and discarded All Black Zac Guildford for Hawke's Bay -- to insert some individual quality into the game.

Dagg was outstanding in the stop-start match. His twinkling footwork made him as slippery as an eel to stop.

Guildford was industrious and his persistence paid off when he set up the game's only try in the second half.

Hawke's Bay got closest to scoring a try in the first half but hooker Hika Elliot was held up over the line in the ninth minute after a line-out drive.

All the points came off the boots of Daniel Kirkpatrick for Hawke's Bay and Cruden who kicked three penalties to his opposite's two.

Guildford broke the game open in the 60th minute with a clever grubber that fresh-faced rookie wing Gillies Kaka collected to score his first national championship try.

Kirkpatrick missed the conversion but made amends after Dagg conjured up a 73rd minute penalty.

Hawke's Bay 17 (Gillies Kaka try; Daniel Kirkpatrick 4 pen)
Manawatu 9 (Aaron Cruden 3 pen). Halftime: 6-9.

- NZPA