Rugby: Manawatu secure finals berth

Manawatu 27 Tasman 23

In-form pivot Aaron Cruden gave a masterful display as leaders Manawatu secured a championship final against Hawke's Bay with a 27-23 win over bottom-placed Tasman in their national provincial championship rugby match in Nelson tonight.

Cruden accumulated 22 points for the home team, picking up two tries as well as setting up a third, but the victory wasn't assured until Cruden's decisive try with five minutes to go.

Tasman added to an early Andrew Goodman penalty with a try to lock Joe Wheeler in the sixth minute, as the home team were rewarded for good work at the breakdown with quick ball.

Wheeler hit halfback Steve Alfeld's sharp pass at pass to power over for the try, second five-eighth Andrew Goodman made the conversion and Tasman led 10-0.

The game meandered somewhat after Tasman's opening burst, but just on the 25 minute mark, Cruden showed his class with a well-timed charge down as Tasman first five-eighth James Marshall tarried with a clearing kick.

The conversion narrowed Tasman's lead to just three, but they struck back almost immediately. Good field position and sloppy Manawatu defence saw the ball spill loose from a tryline ruck, Wheeler scooping it up to dive over for his second try.

Two Cruden penalties in the last five minutes of the spell left Tasman with a precarious 17-13 lead at the break.

The second half turned into a battle of attrition, with only a Goodman penalty to show until the 63rd minute when a piece of Cruden brilliance split open the Tasman defence.

The final pass found flanker Doug Tietjens, and Cruden's conversion tied the scores 20-20 with 17 minutes remaining.

Another Goodman penalty put Tasman back in front, but Manawatu continued to pound the Tasman line, and eventually the pressure told as Manawatu shifted the ball wide to find Cruden with space and time to dot down.

- NZPA