Tasman Mako wins tense Miter 10 Cup final against Auckland

Tasman has won consecutive 10 Miter Cup Premiership titles, defeating Auckland 13-12 at Eden Park.

For the most part, it was a tense final, but rather boring. More appropriate for one in a Rugby World Cup, than for the New Zealand provincial title, where expansive rugby is supposed to be the way to do things.

Both teams had not been in impressive form before the final and both were prone to errors in this game. The Auckland and Tasman lineouts were a disaster, and the teams’ outside full-backs rarely got into space to attack.

Auckland had the most dominant scrum, but had trouble making the most of it.

READ MORE:
* Miter Cup 10: Auckland opens the doors for the final at home against Tasman
* Miter Cup 10: Leicester Rising leads Tasman to final against Auckland
* Miter Cup 10: Tasman beat Otago to secure the semifinal at home

There were 13,131 spectators for the final, well below the 22,000 who came to Eden Park two years ago when Auckland played Canterbury in the final, a match that was also free to spectators.

But unlike last time, the All Blacks did not play shortly after and Tasman is not as big a card as Canterbury.

Still, even though there were only two stalls open, there was a good atmosphere in what can be a cavernous Eden Park.

In a final it’s all about racking up points, so it came as no surprise when Auckland captain Angus Ta’avao ordered Harry Plummer to take a penalty just inside the Tasmania half in the third minute.

Twelve minutes later, Niko Jones came in for a Tasman first five tackle from Mitchell Hunt. Jones wrapped his arms around Hunt, but their heads collided, with the Mako coming out of the worst and needing to go away with a drug for an EIS, which he failed.

In the 17th minute, David Havili leveled the score with a penalty kick from Auckland’s 10-meter line.

Within half an hour, Plummer scored his second penalty and three minutes before half-time teammate Zarn Sullivan landed a monstrous kick from near the midline to the left to make it 9-3.

During the final moments of the first half, Tasman attacked Auckland’s goal line and after a second penalty was awarded, Ta’avao was sent to the trash.

Tasman kept pushing hard and was eventually rewarded with an attempt to prostitute Quentin MacDonald.

Auckland continued to build their scoring three-for-three when Plummer shot another penalty four minutes into the second half, while Tasman’s center Fetuli Paea came close to scoring shortly after, but was sent off by the combined efforts of Jonathan Ruru and Plummer.

In the 48th minute, just as Ta’avao was about to rejoin the game, Sullivan turned yellow for an intentional hit and took his patron’s place in the mischievous chair.

However, Tasman did not score again as Auckland extended his time down to one man and it wasn’t until the 70th minute that David Havili put Tasman back in front, from another penalty.

It was an exciting ending to the game, with Auckland desperate to reverse their one point deficit. His first attempt of the night would be good, but at this stage of the game, the drop goal became a good option.

With three minutes remaining, Simon Hickey went for last, but the kick went to the right.

Auckland recovered the ball, but the game ended when Salesi Rayasi was penalized for holding onto the ball after being tackled.

Take a look

Auckland 12 (3 Harry Plummer pens, Zarn Sullivan pen) Tasmania 13 (Quentin MacDonald tries; David Havili 2 pens, against). HT: 9-10