Rugby: Stowers hattrick seals Counties victory

Sherwin Stowers cross for two tries against the Taniwhas. Photo / Getty Images

Counties Manukau 39 Northland 19

Counties Manukau have ended their 2011 campaign on a high note with a 39-19 win over Northland at Bayer Growers Stadium in Pukekohe.

Sherwin Stowers reaped the sowing of his hard-working forward pack bagging a hattrick in the final game for both teams who will continue to play their football in the lower tier of the competition.

The home team ran in six tries to three in a victory that left the Steelers faithful in cheerful mood as they signed off their season with their free-flowing rugby style.

The victory takes Counties to third on the table on 22 points with Northland sitting on 19 points with Otago and Manawatu still to play.

Stowers and Bundee Aki kick-started the Counties points tally with two tries in the opening 25 minutes.

A series of offloads enabled Counties to work from the halfway up to the 22 metre line. Augustine Pulu went left and found Tim Nanai Williams before his short-pass was hit at pace by Stowers who gassed in-between two players to score.

Aki gave his side some breathing space with a brilliant individual try, hitting Kerr's pass he drew in the fullback before jinking past him to go under the uprights. Kerr converted and added a penalty to see his side up 15-0.

Northland had yet to fire any real attacking shot on the Counties tryline and they had to wait 33 minutes to finally get over the chalk.

A simple hands movement down the backline chain turned into a moment of brilliance from Lachie Munro as he moved the ball onto Bryce Heem with a one-handed netball-like pass to eave the fans and commentators in awe of his moment of brilliance.

Leading 15-5 at the break, Counties made all the attacking play in the opening exchanges of the second stanza and it was nuggerty halfback Pulu who would add to their advantage.

Kerr made the initial incision into the Northland 22 before Pulu picked the ball from the ruck, darted left before going back right drove past two tacklers to plant the ball down in the 45th minute.

Stowers secured his side's bonus point in the 49th minute after the ball spilled from the ruck, and spotting a gap beside the ruck he pinned his ears back to seal his second try after a 35 metre run.

Kerr nailed the conversion, his third of the match, and the Steelers were comfortably in front at 29-5 after just nine minutes into the second 40 minutes.

Northland's first drive into the Counties 22 brought immediate bounty for the baby blue outfit with halfback Ryan Caine making the most of a defensive lapse to run in behind the posts. Munro converted but at 29-12 they were still chasing a significant three-try lead.

Their brief moment of hope was immediately undone at the ensuing kickoff with Jaryd Payne, playing his final game before heading to Ulster, threw a pass that was picked off winger Ahsee Tuala to go in for the five-pointer.

Kerr's conversion returned the scoreline to the previous 22 point margin and with 15 minute remaining a Counties victory was a formality.

However Taniwhas replacement Jack Mcphee scored a try to ensure a tense final ten minutes for both teams.

However Stowers would have the last say on the stroke of fulltime, making the most of a turnover to scoot 80 metres to touchdown despite Heem's efforts to chase him down.

Counties Manukau 39 (Sherwin Stowers 3, Bundee Aki, Augustine Pulu, Ahsee Tuala tries; Baden Kerr pen, 2 con) Northland 19 (Bryce Heem, Rhyan Caine, Jack McPhee tries; Lachie Munro 2 con). Halftime: 15-5.

- HERALD ONLINE