Defending NPC champions Taranaki have captured the coveted Ranfurly Shield, but were unable to wrest playoff top seeding with a 42-29 win over Tasman at Nelson.
After dominating most of the contest, the visiting Bulls benefitted from a try double by centre Daniel Rona, but found an unlikely hero in halfback Adam Lennox, who found himself on the wing to score the try that clinched the ‘Log O’ Wood’ over the summer.
Taranaki needed only five minutes to impose some dominance over the holders, applying pressure of phases on the Tasman goal-line, before Rona crossed for the opening try. When communication broke down between Mako halfback Finlay Christie and his forwards on their own line, flanker Michael Loft pounced on the loose ball for Taranaki’s second five-pointer.
Tasman flanker Fletcher Anderson was held up over the line to deprive his team their first try, while their maul was driven into touch from an attacking lineout to thwart another scoring opportunity. With halftime looming, the home team finally cracked the staunch defence, when first-five Willie Havili kicked wide for winger Jack Gray, who evaded the last tackler to cross in the corner.
The Mako were the own worst enemies and their lack of discipline cost them again, when Taranaki first-five Josh Jacomb slotted his third penalty for a 23-8 advantage at the break.
All Black Stephen Perofeta came off the bench for Taranaki, when fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens suffered a head knock.
The Mako struck from the restart, when lock Tim Sail scored from close range, surviving close examination for a suspected knock-on, but their relief was short-lived, with Jacomb floating a long pass to Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, who had returned and moved to the wing.
From the kickoff, Taranaki wing Kini Naholo charged down the left touchline and found Rona running inside support for his second try, and the trophy seemed headed north.
Prop Ryan Coxon barged over from a ruck to close the deficit for Tasman, now within two converted tries with 20 minutes still on the clock.
Perofeta sent wing Vereniki Tikoisolomone sprinting towards the line, but the ball was dislodged in a despairing tackle from centre William Butler.
Tikoisolomone had returned to replace Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, but eventually both were ruled out, replaced by Lennox out of position.
With 10 minutes remaining, Taranaki tried to run the ball from deep inside their own half, but Jacomb’s pass was picked off by Tasman second-five David Havili, as the hosts closed within a converted try.
Ironically, Lennox provided the killer blow from his unaccustomed position, taking a pass from Rona with an angled run to the corner.
The result also catapulted Taranaki past their rivals on the NPC table, finishing level with Wellington at the top, but losing the head-to-head countback for the regular season crown.
Wellington will host Counties Manukau in next week's quarterfnals, with the real prospect of staging the final in the capital. Taranaki face Waikato at home, while Tasman currently sit third, but can still slip behind Bay of Plenty, who take on Auckland in the final fixture of the regular season.
Taranaki 42 (Rona 2, Loft, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Lennox tries; Jacomb 4 conversions & 3 penalties) Tasman 29 (Gray, Sail, Coxon, D Havili tries; W Havili 3 conversions & penalty)
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