"It was a tough day at the office but luckily we are in the semis and get another chance," Taranaki skipper Jason Eaton said.
His side had precious little possession in the first half and when they gained some they were either forced to kick out of defence or coughed it up under pressure.
Their returning star backs Beauden Barrett and Andre Taylor spluttered a bit too after a lack of recent rugby and there was an absence of rhythm about Taranaki.
Wellington looked the opposite. They were crisp on attack, sharp at set piece, intent on moving the ball into space and carrying the attack. They dominated territory with their offloads as Ardie Savea, Reg Goodes, Dane Coles, Tim Bateman and Jason Woodward rumbled and put the heat on the visitors to the Cake Tin.
Savea had an inquiry for the opening try turned down by the television match official after a wonderful series of controlled onslaughts from his teammates.
It took senior lock Ross Filipo to prise a path with Goodes as they rampaged down the touchline before the prop rolled a pass, probably forward, to a trailing Bateman for the Wellington captain to score.
Similar lineball transfers were in the next scoring move but Woodward's round-the-corner pass to Shaun Treeby was a beaut to set up the try for supporting flanker Scott Fuglistaller. Referee Bryce Lawrence had his specs on later in his 200th first-class outing when he sinbinned Jarrad Hoeata for a high tackle and then pinged Taranaki for having a man in front at a 22 restart.
Woodward turned on his afterburners for two quick tries and Wellington coasted to the finish.
Wellington 33 (Tim Bateman, Scott Fuglistaller, Jason Woodward 2, tries; Jason Woodward 2 con, 3 pen
Taranaki 17 (Jason Eaton, James Broadhurst, tries; Beauden Barrett con) HT: 17-0.
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