Taranaki forwards can't capitalise on bad weather

Bay of Plenty 20 Taranaki 16

Cold, dark and wet enough at Mt Maunganui to leave surface water on the pitch - it seemed a heaven-sent night for Taranaki forwards. It was the sort of night where backs on both sides have the feeling they're going to spend the night dropping the ball and at the bottom of a ruck.

And so it proved. The conviction grew that the match would be won by the side producing the fewest mistakes. That analysis doesn't quite give both sides credit for some good handling that made light of the heavy rain and sloppy surface and produced a comparatively entertaining match.

While the Taranaki backline have occasionally looked as threatening as a burqa to MP Bob Clarkson, they haven't always caused as much trouble as Bob the Builder's foray into Islamic protocols.

The pack, on the other hand, has been solid. And, when the Naki forwards pounced on a mistake by fullback Murray Williams, it looked as though the night would follow the wet-weather gospel - kick, chase, harry and feed off mistakes.

Williams slid in to gather a kick off the wet turf, spilled the ball forwards and bulky No 8 Tomasi Soqeta gathered, crashed on and a clever little pass by big Paul Tito saw Thomas Waldrom galloping clear for a try.

However, the Bay of Plenty have an efficient first-five in Mike Delany. He brought a 90 per cent goalkicking success rate into this match. He also ripped off a few well-chosen territory-grabbers and, from a crafty chip into the Naki goalmouth, provoked a wobbly old kick out of defence.

This was fielded about 35m out by winger Anthony Tahana who set sail for the corner. Two Taranaki tacklers bailed him out in the corner and looked to have saved a try.

But countless replays later, the video ref couldn't tell. So the referee Kelvin Deaker and a touch judge conferred and awarded the try. Tahana gave a grimace which said quite a lot.

The rest of the scoring came from penalties - five from Delany and three from Miah Nikora, who cut the gap to four with eight minutes left.

Taranaki banged away in the final moments but, with the game in the balance, the backs weren't up to it and the final pass skidded out.

Bay of Plenty 20 (A. Tahana try; M. Delany 5 pen)
Taranaki 16 (S. Waldrom try, M. Nikora con, 3 pen).
HT: 14-13.