Rugby: Counties turn form around for great win

By WYNNE GRAY

Waikato should have listened to the security guard yesterday who refused to let them into Pukekohe Stadium.

The over-zealous official watched them roll up in the team bus but demanded entry tickets before he would let them through the gate.

A terse discussion with Waikato manager Steve Gilbert averted a scrap, but inside the park, Counties Manukau did the full job on the Ranfurly Shield-holders, beating them 32-30 in the greatest upset in a weekend of NPC shocks.

As a dress-rehearsal for Saturday's defence against Canterbury, it was a disaster.

While Waikato were getting beaten in most parts of yesterday's match, Canterbury were recovering from their exhilirating 71-8 pasting of Southland.

The NPC favourites are in a rich run of form and have delivered some quality rugby in recent weeks, unlike some of the mediocre offerings from other sides at the weekend.

Counties were good and the contest was compelling as Waikato sought to shake off their rustiness in a late final-quarter surge towards what would have been an unjust victory.

But the three other matches contained little memorable rugby.

Auckland continued their chase near the top of points table with their 24-12 win against Northland, but they would not have been overly happy with their evening's production on Friday.

North Harbour were no more than average in their 24-7 victory against Wellington, which pushed them into the top four, but their victims were simply dreadful.

It was symbolic of their wretchedness that Tana Umaga played the final few minutes in his socks because of blisters and that Jonah Lomu tried to chip-kick one defender with 20m to the tryline.

Had either of Harbour's kickers, Silao Leaega or Willie Walker, been at all accurate, they would have spanked the visitors. Between them they missed four kicks in front, while Walker's girlfriend, chosen in a random selection, won a kick-for-cash contest at halftime.

Harbour coach Wayne Shelford was only concerned about the result, though he accepted that the latest rule shifts had produced more boring games in the code.

It was the same in New Plymouth, though delighted locals invaded the ground after Taranaki's 18-16 win against Otago.

Victory gives Taranaki a show of a playoff place, while the pedigree of Otago's play did not suggest that half their side were All Blacks.

But there was some stirring stuff from Counties. Winless at the bottom of the table, they had missed out in a couple of close games.

They did their best to surrender victory again yesterday and coach Andrew Talaimanu admitted to that deja vu feeling during the final stages.

"After the game the guys admitted that they had been nervous. It was a big hurdle for us all psychologically," he said.

"There was a lot on today for a number of reasons.

"I think we had started to doubt our ability to win - and we were against Waikato, our Chiefs partner."

While Talaimanu thought his side might have struck Waikato when they were vulnerable and given them a wake-up for the Canterbury challenge, coach Kiwi Searancke did not see defeat as anything else but a poor effort.

"Right now I cannot see this loss as a favour. It is a huge dent," he said.

Led by loose forward dynamos Glenn Marsh and Hare Makiri, with the bruising Koula Tukino, the Counties forwards cleaned up at the breakdowns to give their backs some quick possession.

They used it with tries to both wings, Patrick Peteklo and Joeli Vidiri, and a 55m runaway for George Leaupepe after a loose Waikato pass.

All Waikato had was the goalkicking of Glen Jackson. Six straight penalties went over before two late tries to Bruce Reihana and David Briggs.

However, the ground announcer, with his own blend of humour and information, was able to continue to call Counties in front and the Ranfurly Shield-holders second throughout the match, with Loki Crichton booting some important goals.

A defining moment for Counties came when they drove lock Ramon Lindsay over from a lineout midway through the second half.

They had dealt to a pack of greater reputation. They had a famous victory in their grasp.

They took it and Counties could celebrate again.