Wellington 45 Southland 3
KEY POINTS:
Wellington didn't need to lift themselves to any great height to roll into the second stage of the Air NZ Cup rugby playoffs with a 45-3 win over Southland in Wellington tonight.
Wellington left Southland's challenge by the wayside to advance to next weekend's semifinal against the winners
of tomorrow's match between Canterbury and Otago.
It was a disappointing game despite Wellington scoring six tries.
Southland contributed significantly to this lacklustre quarterfinal, lacking spirit and appearing to have left their strong forward play in Invercargill.
They were generally flat, missed numerous firstup tackles and compounded that with basic handling errors.
Wellington were slightly better.
They were more efficient in the contact area which enabled them to supply a stream of good ball to their backs.
It seemed the ball was in play for no more than 10 minutes in a stop-start first half in which Wellington scored three tries and led 27-3.
The result stretched Wellington's winning streak at home to 17 matches.
It took Wellington just four minutes to open the scoring, with first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth landing a penalty after Southland tried to bore into a scrum at an angle.
Five minutes later Southland's handling woes started. They fumbled a pass and Gopperth kicked ahead for winger Ma'a Nonu to score. Gopperth converted and Wellington were on their way.
Playing into a stiff breeze, Southland seemed to have trouble with their passes when the breeze swirled.
First five-eighth Blair Stewart kicked a penalty for Southland and after a series of stoppages - some caused by injuries - Wellington managed to string together seven phases, thanks to the poor first line of defence from Southland, before Gopperth sent fullback Cory Jane in for their second try with a long pass.
Winger Pehi Te Whare's feeble one-on-one attempt to stop Jane reflected Southland's game. Gopperth converted the try then added a penalty.
Taking advantage of Southland's flatness, Wellington, with no great determination themselves, pierced their defence once more before halftime.
The Wellington loose forwards, including Api Naikatini and Thomas Waldrom, started the forward momentum from a ruck and Nonu slipped a quick pass to replacement flanker Tom Harding to score out wide.
Gopperth converted it and Wellington led 27-3.
Wellington tried to open the game up a bit more in the second half but it took 27 minutes before the first points were posted, through a try by Waldrom.
That sparked a flurry of attacks from the home side to cheer up a sparse crowd.
Gopperth kicked his third penalty and then Nonu made a storming 50m run from a counter-attack which was finished off by lock Jeremy Thrush for Wellington's fifth try.
Winger Shannon Paku completed Southland's misery with a try in the last minute when he was put away by Nonu.
- NZPA