Rugby: Auckland make heavy weather of local clash

By WYNNE GRAY

Counties Manukau 17 Auckland 24

It was a Sunday afternoon slumber from the defending NPC champions.

They should have woken because Counties hoed into them so constructively that they were ahead 17-3 just before halftime.

Instead, like some form of water torture, Auckland eked out their points, making such heavy going of the whole match that they had to wait until Dylan Mika bagged a double two minutes from time to break the deadlock.

Auckland had to get some kudos for perseverance, but Counties claimed sympathy for courage.

Neither side were happy after the match, Auckland because they had played so poorly and Counties because they knew they had let slip a great chance of some points after their drubbing in round one.

In the tunnel beneath the main stand at Pukekohe Stadium, it was like an undertakers' convention as both sides assessed their work.

If anything, Counties coach Andrew Talaimanu was a shade more upbeat. His side had not given him the birthday present that he wanted but they had competed.

"We had 58 reasons to turn up today [points conceded against Harbour last week ] and we fronted up.

"I asked them to be men, it is not a complicated thing," said Talaimanu.

"We still lost, though Auckland would not be happy with their game."

It was not necessary to be a soothsayer to forecast that. Auckland coach Wayne Pivac struggled to keep his disappointment in perspective.

The first half had been very, very poor, he said, the second very, very average. There had been no urgency, the whole side were lacklustre and beaten in most phases of the game.

"The only thing I was pleased about was the win, but then we squandered the bonus point."

It was tough viewing because of the mistake rate, the only attraction being to see whether Counties could hold on for a draw or even better. They had started well, with five-eighths Blair Feeney cutting up the Auckland defence with his running and kicking strongly for position.

Counties disrupted an Auckland scrum near their line, the impressive Danny Lee troubled his opposite and powerful loose forward Koula Tukino pounced for the try.

Feeney surged through some ordinary defence to send tighthead prop John Akurangi in at the corner, kicked the goals and at 17-3 the large crowd began thinking about a rugby miracle.

Auckland blew too many chances. An example was Carlos Spencer throwing a no-look pass forward when he could have either sighted his support or gone alone for the line.

The crisis forced discarded lock Robin Brooke off the bench before halftime. Hooker Keven Mealamu also came on before the break while halfback Steve Devine, who had been rested to guard some minor injuries, was into the fray after the interval.

Auckland scarcely left Counties' half during the second spell but struggled to score. With Brooke and Mealamu on, the scrum steadied and from one wheel Mika scored to tie the scores with Adrian Cashmore's conversion.

For another 30 minutes Counties held. Grant Henson led the tight men with Ramon Lindsay and Kristian Ormsby strong in the lineout, Tukino, Hare Makiri and Glen Marsh an outstanding loose trio.

Finally the glut of Auckland possession told as Mika struggled across the line two minutes from time.

In an appropriate Sunday confession, Auckland captain Paul Thomson said: "If we play like this we are not going to do any good this year."