Ta’auso sparkles as Chiefs hit top form

Chiefs 40 Sharks 5

It's been a big fortnight for young Counties Manukau back Niva Ta'auso.

A couple of weeks ago he was called into the Chiefs squad to replace the injured Loki Crichton.

Then on Thursday coach Ian Foster told him he was making his debut against the Sharks, when his mind was turning to playing for his Pukekohe club team on Saturday.

But it was a debut to savour as he played a significant hand in three of the Chiefs' six tries in easily their best display of the season.

Admittedly, the Sharks were dreadful, but there was an impressive urgency about much of the Chiefs' play, particularly in the first half, during which they bolted to a 28-0 lead.

"I was so nervous. I was up until 2am and woke up at 5.30am, just couldn't sleep. When I got to the ground I couldn't wait," 24-year-old Ta'auso said. "Now I feel great."

He got an early touch, his smart thinking and good handiwork helping Sitiveni Sivivatu over for the first of his two tries in the opening minute; Sharks back Rudi Kiel dropped a ball straight into Ta'auso's lap and, rather than try and make the line himself, he had the presence of mind to give it to Sivivatu, a fellow Wesley College old boy and one with more wheels, outside him; and he played a part in the lead-up to hooker Aleki Lutui's try by the posts which came after sustained pressure.

Ta'auso made the odd error after that, but the positive far outweighed the negative for the player who came to New Zealand from Samoa in 1999.

"He'd be pretty proud of that game," Foster said.

"He made some really good decisions and for a guy stepping up from NPC second division I thought it was a great game."

Ta'auso was part of a rejigged Chiefs backline, in which David Hill stood out guiding two Super 12 novices on either side of him - Ta'auso and Stephen Donald - through the match.

Several players gave Foster plenty to be happy about. Beefy flanker Sione Lauaki, who had a shocker against the Reds last month, bounced back strongly a week ago against the Highlanders and turned in some outstanding work on Saturday night.

Twice he bounced aside tacklers as if they were cardboard cutouts, the second on his way to the second Chiefs try, and he saved an early Sharks try, holding Trevor Halstead up over the line. And stand-in captain Steven Bates, robust halfback Byron Kelleher, Sosene Anesi and the pack as a unit, all deserved plaudits for a good night's work.

The Sharks did not help themselves by playing dumb rugby, doing in their own defensive third things they should have saved until they got into the Chiefs' half.

They should have played it tight but went to their speedsters, and handling and lack of cohesion let them down.

 

The Sharks lost promising halfback Ruan Pienaar at halftime to hospital with a neck injury, but they were in trouble even before that.

Pienaar was later discharged and his recovery will be monitored this week ahead of their game against the Blues on Saturday.

Quick hands put Anesi in for his third try of the competition after a Donald break at the three-quarter mark and Donald finished off the scoring.

"They shouldn't be where they are on the table," Sharks coach Dick Muir said. He didn't have much option after watching a dispiriting start to their four-week road trip.

Foster had every reason to enjoy his night. "Winning's nice, isn't it? We haven't been happy with where we're at. It's been hard on everyone."

But Keith Robinson's return to top-flight rugby is on hold again after an 11th-hour flareup of his troublesome back.

During lineout drills four hours before kickoff he strained the back which has kept him sidelined for several months.

"It doesn't strike me as being bad, but he certainly had some pain there," Foster said.