Rugby: Second half revival secures Manwatu win

Turbo fans were in full voice as their side scored 36 answered points to beat North harbour 42-16 at FMG Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

Manawatu 42
North Harbour 16

A comprehensive second-half turnaround saw Manawatu beat North Harbour 42-16 in their Air NZ Cup rugby match in Palmerston North.

There was little at stake barring pride for both teams -- North Harbour, at 11th on the table, were just one point clear of 12th-placed Manawatu.

But after an ordinary first half, and trailing Harbour 8-16 at the break, Manawatu came out firing in the second spell to rattle up 34 unanswered points, including 17 in the last 10 minutes.

Pivotal to the Manawatu win -- their first in 11 games against North Harbour and their fourth of this year's Air NZ Cup -- was the astute control of first five-eighth Aaron Cruden.

An equally-important contribution came from winger Andre Taylor, who contributed 27 points with two tries, four conversions, two penalties and a dropped goal.

Things looked promising for Manawatu early on, when captain Nick Crosswell snaffled some useful turnover ball at the breakdown, and Taylor latched onto a flat pass to beat the cover defence out wide and score.

But North Harbour first five-eighth Mike Harris's second penalty of the match helped his team hit the front soon after, then Rudi Wulf extended it with a well-taken try when he found himself in space and his pace shattered Manawatu's defence.

Harris proved influential as the northerners made the most of a strong tailwind in the first half.

He nailed four from four shots at goal and let fly with some booming touchfinders to keep Manawatu under constant pressure.

A 55m Harris penalty gave Harbour a comfortable lead as halftime neared, and although Taylor closed the gap for Manawatu with another penalty, the visitors went into the break 16-8 ahead.

Manawatu bounced back from early disappointment in the second half, when flanker Callum Gibbins was judged to have had a foot in touch before he touched down in the corner.

Tries to hooker Rob Foreman and second five-eighth Johnny Leota followed as Manawatu began to dominate territory and possession.

Ahead 25-16 with 10 minutes to go, Manawatu kicked up another level following a long-range Taylor dropped goal, with tries to centre Tomasi Cama and -- inevitably -- Taylor securing them the five-try win.

The result brought a rapturous response from the FMG Stadium crowd, whose side are likely to be one of the four demoted from next year's 10-team Premier Division.

Manawatu 42 (Andre Taylor 2, Rob Foreman, Johnny Leota, Tomasi Cama tries; Taylor 2 pen, 4 con, drop goal) North Harbour 16 (Rudi Wulf try; Mike Harris 3 pen, con). Halftime: 8-16.

- NZPA