A committed Southland team bounced back from their deplorable performance against Bay of Plenty last week to register an upset win over Taranaki at Invercargill's Rugby Park yesterday.
The home team conceded two first-half tries but still managed to cling to a 19-10 lead at the break,with the goal-kicking boot of Ashley Barron contributing 14 of those points to go with a well-taken try by left wing Roy Hawker from a set move.
But the power and expertise of the physical Taranaki pack looked ominous and paved the way for tries by Shayne Austin and Brent Thompson during the first 40 minutes to keep the visitors on track for a bonus point win.
With Southland fans expecting that their team would face a 15-point wind in the second half, a Daryl Lilley penalty goal and a Andrew Hore try inside nine minutes of the resumption had Taranaki ahead by a point but it was Southland who made the decisive move.
Six phases were strung together by the determined home forward pack, superbly led by rampaging No 8 Paul Miller, to set up Hawker's second try of the afternoon.
Barron's conversion allowed Southland to regain an unexpected lead which they held on to despite real urgency from Taranaki as they sought a game-winning and bonus-point try.
Unlike the Bay of Plenty match, a chastened Southland team responded admirably, denying frequent Taranaki attacks and restricting the amber-and-blacks to a Lilley penalty during the final quarter on to nab the win.
Southland lost hooker and former captain Corey Flynn after 16 minutes with a broken wrist but his replacement, David Hall, Miller, Steve Jackson and Ben Herring performed superbly, as did the inside-back combination of Jimmy Cowan and Barron.
Hooker Andrew Hore and locks Paul Tito and Reece Robinson were powerhouses in the Taranaki pack, with Austin and James Kerr the danger-men in a backline marshalled well by halfback Brendan Haami.
