Taranaki have outclassed Manawatu 46-25 at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth tonight and have locked away the Ranfurly Shield for the summer.
FULLTIME - TARANAKI 46 MANAWATU 25
79 mins - TARANAKI 46 MANAWATU 25
TRY! Taranaki just too good they are in again!
76 mins - TARANAKI 39 MANAWATU 25
TRY! Kylem O'Donnell comes up with the try of the year - shows incredible control to ground the ball just before the dead-ball line.
74 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 25
TRY! Jade Te Rure showed great composure and played to the whistle. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi made a strip on his opposite Jamie Booth and Te Rure pounced on the loose ball to score for the visitors. TMO said the try is good.
Te Rure lands the conversion from easy range.
69 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 18
YELLOW CARD! Declan O'Donnell has been sent to the bin for a late shoulder charge tackle on a Manawatu player. Manawatu looked like they could have scored had O'Donell not put on that dangerous hit.
68 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 18
Manawatu are starting to find some good go forward against Taranaki - the energy coming from their reserve halfback Jamie Booth. Taranaki have a defensive scrum deep inside their 22.
62 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 18
TRY! Ambrose Curtis powers over to score down the left hand corner. Ngani Laumape was the one who threw a great wide pass for his winger to crash over and score.
Jade Te Rure nails the conversion from out wide.
57 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 11
TRY! After a strong carry from Taranaki's Pita-Gus Sowakula. It is Charlie Ngatai who brushes off three Manawatu defenders to score another try for Taranaki. He ran an excellent line of Marty McKenzie to score close to the goal posts.
McKenzie is successful with the conversion.
53 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 11
TRY! Jamie Booth darts over and scores Manawatu's first try of the night - a nice bit of play from the Turbos' reserve halfback. Jade Te Rure misses the conversion.
51 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
PENALTY! Taranaki are penalised for an obstruction and Manawatu kick the ball into touch. They have an attacking line-out inside Taranaki's 22m.
47 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
A lot of mistakes early in the second spell from both teams. Marty McKenzie comes up with a great heads up play for Taranaki, he makes a neat kick which finds its way into Manawatu's 22m line.
43 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
KNOCK ON! Seta Tamanivalu almost comes up with an intercept but he spills the ball. A missed opportunity for Taranaki and Manawatu have a scrum just outside their own 22m line.
40 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
We are back underway with Manawatu kicking off to Taranaki.
HALFTIME - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
40 mins - TARANAKI 27 MANAWATU 6
TRY! A superb counter attack play from Taranaki as they go 80 metres to score. Waisake Naholo crosses the try-line for his second of the night.
Marty McKenzie nails the conversion.
39 mins - TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
INJURY! Play has stopped with Manawatu's first-five injurying his knee, he leaves the pitch on a stretcher.
35 mins - TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
TRY! Seta Tamanivalu is in for his second try of the match. It all began by a lovely run and break from his teammate Waisake Naholo. Taranaki are looking unstoppable early - some nice runs and touches from their young first-five Stephen Perofeta in the lead up to the try.
Marty McKenzie lands the conversion.
32 mins - TARANAKI 13 MANAWATU 6
TRY! Taranaki's Seta Tamanivalu crashes over to score after a strong punishing run from Toa Halafihi off the back of an attacking scrum.
Marty McKenzie misses another shot at goal from out wide.
30 mins - TARANAKI 8 MANAWATU 6
YELLOW CARD! Manawatu's prop Michael Alaalatoa is sent to the bin for deliberately playing the ball on the ground as Taranaki made a great break and looked likely to score while on attack.
27 mins - TARANAKI 8 MANAWATU 6
A huge kick from Waisake Naholo and he catches the Manawatu outside backs out of position. The ball luckily bounces out for Manawatu as Naholo almost got there and looked like he might have got close to getting his second try of the match.
25 mins - TARANAKI 8 MANAWATU 6
THREE! Taranaki's first-five Stephen Perofeta is penalised for an intentional knock down. Manawatu's Otere Black fires the ball over between the posts to earn his side another three points.
21 mins - TARANAKI 8 MANAWATU 3
TRY! Waisake Naholo dots down for the first try of the match in the right hand corner - makes an excellent dive. The Taranaki backs are looking a slick, a nice carry from their first-five Stephen Perofeta before he links up with Sean Wainui and Seta Tamanivalu.
Marty McKenzie misses the conversion from out wide.
19 mins - TARANAKI 3 MANAWATU 3
NO TRY! A missed opportunity for Taranaki as their left winger Manasa Mataele drops the ball cold after a nice offload pass from Seta Tamanivalu. Mataele has been subbed off with Declan O'Donnell replacing him on the left wing.
16 mins - TARANAKI 3 MANAWATU 3
THREE! Taranaki's No. 6 Pita-Gus Sowakula is penalised for an offside play and Otere Black levels the scores with a successful kick at goal.
12 mins - TARANAKI 3 MANAWATU 0
THREE! Marty McKenzie nails his penalty kick at goal from relatively easy range.
9 mins - TARANAKI 0 MANAWATU 0
Taranaki looking good early with their backs and forwards making solid carries deep in Manawatu's half - a chance here early for Taranaki to get some points with Manawatu penalised for not releasing in the tackle.
6 mins - TARANAKI 0 MANAWATU 0
Manawatu get out of jail and force a turnover with a clever counter ruck - Taranaki have an attacking scrum from 30m out.
3 mins - TARANAKI 0 MANAWATU 0
A spectacular set play from the line-out for Taranaki and Manasa Mataele goes through a huge hole in Manawatu's defence.
Mataele puts in a grubber and Taranaki force a 5m scrum - Taranaki on the front foot early in this Shield match.
KICK-OFF - TARANAKI 0 MANAWATU 0
And we are underway with Stephen Perofeta kicking for Taranaki to Manawatu.
PRE-MATCH:
Taranaki are heavy favourites to beat visitors Manawatu in tonight's Shield clash and lock up the Log o' Wood for the summer.
Taranaki outclassed Canterbury last Friday with a remarkable 55-43 comeback win in Christchurch to win the Shield.
Taranaki sit on top of the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership ladder with Manawatu sitting fourth in the Mitre 10 Cup championship ladder.
All Blacks winger Waisake Naholo returns for the Taranaki team while All Blacks midfielder Ngani Laumape bolsters the Manawatu Turbos side.
The last time Manawatu won the Ranfurly Shield was in 1976.
Taranaki: Marty McKenzie, Waisake Naholo, Seta Tamanivalu, Sean Wainui, Manasa Mataele, Stephen Perofeta, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Toa Halafihi, Lachlan Boshier, Pita-Gus Sowakula, Leon Power, Kane Thompson, Angus Ta'avao (c), Ricky Riccitelli, Mitchell Graham.
Reserves: Donald Maka, Jared Proffit, Reuben O'Neill, Fin Hoeata, Adrian Wyrill, Kylem O'Donnell, Charlie Ngatai, Declan O'Donnell.
Manawatu: Kurt Baker, Newton Tudreu, Jason Emery, Ngani Laumape, Ambrose Curtis, Otere Black, Kayne Hammington, Brice Henderson, Antonio Kiri Kiri, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (c), Jackson Hemopo, Tom Parsons, Michael Alaalatoa , Hunter Prescott, Fraser Armstrong.
Reserves: Tim Cadwallader, Tuki Raimona, Sean Paranihi, Liam Hallam-Eames, Harrison Brewer, Jamie Booth, Jade Te Rure, Te Rangatira Waitokia.
35 mins TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
35 mins TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
35 mins TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
35 mins TARANAKI 20 MANAWATU 6
62 mins - TARANAKI 34 MANAWATU 18
SHARE ME