Rugby: Southland break down Taranaki resistance

Southland prop Fai Mika. Photo / Getty Images

Southland 29
Taranaki 13

There were few signs of celebration as Southland beat Taranaki 29-13 in an Air NZ Cup rugby match in Invercargill last night.

Victory temporarily promoted Southland to second on the standings but it may still not be enough to earn them a semifinal at the end of the regular season next week.

Southland complete the round robin with a Ranfurly Shield challenge against runaway leaders Canterbury in Christchurch next week.

It is not a match many expect them to win, hence an extra edge to their desperation to earn a bonus point victory tonight.

But their best plans were foiled by tenacious Taranaki defence, which conceded just two tries, and it means Wellington, Hawke's Bay Auckland and Waikato can all theoretically overtake Southland before the semifinalists are decided.

It took Southland more than 60 minutes to distance themselves from Taranaki, with a fortuitous try to centre Kendrick Lynn lifting them to a 26-13 lead with 17min remaining.

Taranaki paid dearly for allowing an innocuous up and under to land, and it bounced into Lynn's hands before he made the most of his luck.

Taranaki had performed a minor miracle to trail just 13-16 at halftime after withstanding constant pressure by a Southland side who had it all over them in both the territory and possession stakes.

Southland adopted expansive tactics from the opening whistle but they were not helped by a lack of patience which saw passes pushed when a more measured approach may have been more rewarding.

For all of their positive endeavour Southland scored just one try in the first spell, with lock Joe Tuineau completing a sweeping move which twice featured Lynn after a wide cutout pass from Robbie Robinson enabled fullback Glen Horton to provide the initial thrust.

Despite surviving on mere scraps of ball, Taranaki managed their only touchdown, too, after a quality lineout take saw second five-eighth Jayden Hayward make a half break before wing Shayne Austin loomed on his inside and stepped a defender en route to the tryline.

Taranaki, already a spent force and with no chance to qualify for the semifinals, were behind 0-10 early on before Austin's try and fine goalkicking by Willie Ripia, including an angled 49m penalty, helped erase that deficit.

Southland 29 (Joe Tuineau, Kendrick Lynn tries; Robbie Robinson 4 pen, 2 con, John Dodds pen) Taranaki 13 (Shayne Austin try; Willie Ripia 2 pen, con). Halftime: 16-13.

- NZPA