Rugby: Turbos suffer first loss at home

Taranaki's first half points tally was enough to hold off a late Manawatu fight back in Palmeston North. Photo / Getty Images

Taranaki kicked their way to a 12-10 win over Manawatu in a fifth round Air NZ Cup rugby match in Palmerston North.

Three penalties by first five-eighth Willie Ripia and a cheeky dropped goal by halfback Brett Goodin in the first half was enough to secure their second win of the season.

Manawatu, seeking to maintain an unbeaten home record, had a chance to snatch victory in the dying seconds with the score 10-12, but first five-eighth Aaron Cruden, after picking himself up from a high tackle, fell short from nearly 50m in front of the posts.

Manawatu had the early run of play with halfback Aaron Smith and Cruden outstanding.

Smith was greased lightning with his passing from the base of the rucks while Cruden showed glimpses of his flair, one example being when he chipped, regathered and an off-load to Johnny Leota in the tackle almost spreadeagled the Taranaki defence.

Taranaki could not be kept out of the game for long however. The power of the Taranaki pack, fuelled by flanker Scott Waldrom, hooker Andrew Hore and locks Jason Eaton and Craig Clarke, gained the upper hand slowly but surely and the fireworks from Manawatu fizzled out after about 10 minutes.

Starved of the ball, Manawatu, defended stoutly in the face of a rampant Taranaki pack and it was left to Ripia to punish any Manawatu transgression with three well-taken penalties.

Goodin picked off a dropped goal to complete Taranaki's scoring in the first half while Manawatu's reply came from a Cruden penalty.

Waldrom who effected many turnovers, went unrewarded when he was unable to dot the ball down cleanly at the end of a series of powerful Taranaki drives in the dying seconds of the half.

Taranaki spurned three gilt-edged chances at extending their lead in the second half when they were let down by poor hands in the backline twice and then had wing Shayne Austin step into touch metres before he thought he had touched down by the corner post.

Manawatu scored the only try of the match against the run of play when substitute Lote Raikabula counter-attacked from a kick return.

The winger was tackled but fullback Kurt Baker toed the ball on and won the chase to retrieve the ball and crash over to score despite the tackle by Asalemo Malo.

Cruden made the conversion to close the gap but Manawatu lacked the forward firepower to turn momentum their way.

Clarke was sinbinned for the high tackle on Cruden and would have breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Cruden's shot float down about 5m infield from the cross bar.

- NZPA