Steelers beat slush in impressive win

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

Counties-Manukau had the sort of preparation needed for next weekend's key NPC second division game against Hawkes Bay with a 50-5 win over Marlborough at Pukekohe.

Despite the difficult conditions and particularly heavy downpours in the first spell, the Steelers produced their best performance of the season through a dominant pack led by the lock and captain Ramon Lindsay.

Slippery ball and surface notwithstanding, there was surprising skill in the open by five-eighths Simon Porter and Stephen Donald, who also were able to adapt to kick-and-chase tactics when required.

Between them, this pair contributed 30 of Counties' points.

But although delighted with the performance overall, Counties coach Bruce Robertson thought his side would need to step up against Hawkes Bay, a game Counties sorely need to win for a semifinal spot and, perhaps, a home ground advantage.

"Hawkes Bay are the team to beat in this division," Robertson said.

"They are always well-organised. Marlborough obviously have some talented backs and the conditions here didn't help them. But it is a different proposition playing them and Hawkes Bay.

"But our boys did well in this game. Our options with the ball were accurate and we took our opportunities.

"To score 50 points and seven tries in these conditions was an achievement and all round we did well."

Hooker Grant Henson, in his 50th match for the union, and lock Tarris Chi-Tar also made sterling contributions, while on the left wing another long-serving player, David Wood, showed pace and enterprise to score two tries.

That Counties were able to produce scintillating back play was surprising, not only because of the conditions but because some of their attacking back play was affected by a backline reshuffle.

Sailosi Tagicakibau, who had been effective at fullback, is lost to the union for the rest of the season as he has been drafted into the Manu Samoa World Cup squad.

This has meant shifting Sitiveni Sivivatu from the wing to fullback, where he proved to be not quite the lethal attacker he was for the Steelers in the past two seasons.

Despite the loss of Tagicakibau, Counties' Pacific Island influence remains strong. Besides the promise of wing newcomer Kata there was an excellent contribution from powerful No 8 Waka Setitaia, who scored a try himself and was involved in a number of the others.
Hawkes Bay edged out North Otago 28-25 in a thriller in Oamaru today, both teams scoring three tries, after the home side led 22-10 at halftime.

Besides Hawkes Bay and North Otago, the other obstacle to Counties gaining a place in the top two, and therefore a home venue for the semifinals, is Nelson Bays.

They continued their successful run on Saturday and share top spot with Hawkes Bay, but were made to work much harder than expected before winning 19-9 over Thames Valley at Ruatoria.

In Saturday's other second division match, East Coast got their first win of the season and doomed Mid Canterbury to the wooden spoon with a 61-16 win at Paeroa.

In the third division, South Canterbury stayed on top with a 32-6 win at Wairarapa Bush, while King Country kept on their heels, two points back, with a tight, 13-10 win over Buller at Westport.

Horowhenua-Kapiti thumped West Coast 64-12 and Poverty Bay beat Wanganui 36-22.