10.15am UPDATE
Taranaki ambushed Ranfurly Shield holders Bay of Plenty to win their NPC first division rugby match 58-14 last night.
Winger Shayne Austin scored a spectacular try four minutes into the game, with a kick and catch to spark the home side in action.
They rarely paused for breathe thereafter as Bay
of Plenty were given a rude awakening to the realities of life in the first division following their honeymoon period with the shield.
Austin's was the first of nine tries, with Taranaki having the bonus point for four tries safely tucked away after only 22 minutes.
They were ahead 41-14 at the halftime interval by which stage the match was effectively over.
"I had to pull finger out this week. I had a shocker last week against Southland. I dropped the ball and I don't think I made a tackle," said Austin, who scored two of his team's tries.
"I worked hard during the week and was determined to put things right. It's nice to get a couple of tries, I just hope it continues."
The top-of-the-table match certainly dished up plenty of entertainment in the first spell, with some sparkling back play complementing the powerful forward effort from Taranaki.
Taranaki No 8 Brent Thompson was at his bruising best with some storming runs and crunching tackles, while All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore wasn't far behind.
Out wide, it was the likes of Austin, fellow winger Sailosi Tagicakibau and second five-eighth Lifeimi Mafi who caused the Bay of Plenty defence all sorts of problems.
Bay of Plenty's biggest concern was the loss of halfback and playmaker Kevin Senio midway through the first half with a leg injury.
Bay of Plenty have only a few days to regroup and pick themselves up before defending the shield against Canterbury in Mt Maunganui next Sunday.
For Taranaki, it's now a matter of continuing on and the next hurdle is the difficult trip to Whangarei to take on Northland.
Taranaki 58
(Shayne Austin 2, Mathew Harvey, Scott Ireland, Fero Lasagavibau, Tony Penn, John Willis, Chris Woods, Paul Tito tries; Ireland pen, 2 con, Brock James 3 con)
Bay of Plenty 14
(Glen Jackson, Kevin Senio tries; Jackson 2 con).
Halftime: 41-14
- NZPA
