Ranfurly Shield stays put despite brave challenge
Tasman’s 17-year wait to get their hands on rugby's Ranfurly Shield goes on.
The Mako, challenging for the coveted "Log of Wood" for just the fourth time, went down 7-0 to holders Wellington in the capital tonight after a titanic battle.
The challengers had several chances, especially in the latter stages of the second half, to pull off a historic victory but ultimately lacked the cohesion, discipline and perhaps a slice of good luck, to get the job done.
There was no shortage of effort from the men in red. They forced the Lions to make nearly double the tackles they did, and bashed away relentlessly at a well-organised defence.
The Mako will look back at a few missed opportunities, including two very adjacent penalty attempts, and an inability to finish off several long periods of pressure. They will also rue a series of botched line-outs and some untimely injuries, which disrupted their flow.
The fact there was only a single try in the game underlined the tightness of a contest between two evenly-matched sides who ran themselves ragged.
The first half was a good, old-fashioned arm wrestle. Both sides struggled to bring cohesion into their attack, with most of the play contested between the respective 22s.
Tasman were struck an early blow after just nine minutes, first five Taine Robinson leaving the field for a head injury assessment, which he subsequently failed. He was replaced by Tim O’Malley, who had the first chance to post points, his close-range penalty attempt in the 24th minute striking the upright.
The Lions then forced field position on the back of a penalty, setting up a 5m lineout drive from which hooker James O’Reilly dotted down. Aidan Morgan converted to give the holders a seven-point advantage against the run of play.
The Mako created a couple of scoring opportunities before the break, however an inability to secure clean lineout ball continued to frustrate them.
The challengers had the better of the second spell, lifting their energy levels and intensity, especially around the breakdown area where they were often put under pressure in the first 40.
However, the Mako resurgence was not enough, despite them coming so close, but yet so far, to a victory no-one would have disputed.
In the end, they were nearly denied a well-deserved NPC bonus point in the final minute, Morgan missing a very manageable penalty kick.
The Mako also had a shot at goal in the second spell, third-choice kicker Macca Springer slicing it wide after O’Malley was also forced from the field.
Tasman skipper Quinten Strange rued the side's inability to win "a couple of moments" against a "quality" Wellington side.
"You have got to capitalise on your opportunities and we just didn't," he said.
He also pointed to a serious form reversal from their previous effort against Northland, when they were well beaten.
"From Saturday until now, it's been a huge turnaround. The boys really turned up tonight," he added.
There was no shortage of heroes for both sides in this battle royal.
Tom Marshall, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Alex Nankivell, Levi Aumua, Anton Segner, Quinten Strange and Max Hicks were outstanding for the challengers, leaving everything out there, while the experience of veterans O'Reilly, Dominic Bird, Brad Shields and Du'Plessis Kirifi proved pivotal for the home side.
On Sunday, Tasman are back in NPC action, meeting North Harbour in Nelson with a 2.05pm kick-off.
Scores: Wellington 7 (James O’Reilly try, Aidan Morgan con) Tasman 0. HT: 7-0 Wellington