Rugby: All's well in Garden of Eden

By Wynne Gray

Auckland headed for a home semifinal and stronger favouritism to take the NPC title after their precious win at their Eden Park headquarters last night against their Waikato neighbours.

There was an enormous amount of dazzle in the match where both teams chose to attack from all areas of the ground.

Auckland will mark down their strong forward work and a little more composure with possession as the strengths of their victory.

Waikato made the first try strike when Auckland's impetuous quick lineout throw on their line was turned over and Glenn Jackson's wide pass to Bruce Reihana put the wing in at the corner.

It was the best decision by Jackson on a night when he made a few erratic choices. The critical moment came 30 minutes into the match with Waikato attacking for several phases and Auckland hanging on desperately near their line.

Finally Jackson decided to use a crossfield bomb as another form of attack. With fingertip control Doug Howlett saved, twisted out of a tackle and headed for the other end of the park.

Caught in a valiant tackle he passed inside to Eroni Clarke who had a clear run with the tryline 70m away. Just as he cantered towards the line and a cover defender, Clarke flipped an inside pass to Orene Ai'i who juggled but held the ball for what was a 14-point movement.

That turnaround seemed to stun Waikato who conceded a further two penalties to Adrian Cashmore's boot and instead of going to the break near level, the visitors were 5-19 adrift, with plenty to do to reverse the trend.

The problem got worse soon after the interval. Jackson made a beautiful break but then wasted it when he threw the ball well back to Reihana who was swallowed up by the grateful defence.

That puzzling decision became even more costly soon after as Auckland No 8 Xavier Rush, in doubt for much of the week after a bout of tonsilitis, scored a soft try when he picked the ball up from the edge of a maul and jogged over.

It was beginning to look one-way traffic until Waikato steadied, and helped by a penalty flow from referee Steve Walsh snr, scored after a set move from a scrum.

A skip pass to Keith Lowen found the defence hanging off a shade and the burly centre made it to the line.

There will be some debate, though, about Walsh's decision and whether Lowen got away with a double movement or was allowed to use his momentum to stretch out for the try.

Anything his Super 12 replacement could do, Clarke could do just as well. Slipped a neat short pass by Craig Innes, Clarke made 50m before setting Howlett on an untroubled angled run for the try.

Ryan Wheeler scored a late consolation try as Auckland turned over more ball looking for a bonus point to leave both sides with three tries.

Auckland 33 (Ai'i, Rush, Howlett, tries; Cashmore, 3 con, 3 pen, Ai'i dropped goal) Waikato 19 (Reihana, Lowen, Wheeler, tries; Jackson 2 con).