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North Harbor can still dream of a spot in the 10 Miter Cup first division semifinals, after defeating Northland 24-8 in a controversial crossover clash at Whangārei on Saturday.
Referee Cam Stone and TMO Llew Smart were at the center of a pair of dramatic tackle calls in the air, which first saw Harbor first in Bryn Gatland’s fifth-eighth in the trash, then saw Northland center Scott Gregory, ironically the man Gatland collided with. expelled.
The visitors to Semenoff Stadium had to resist a spirited comeback from Taniwha, after Gatland’s yellow card in the 57th minute reversed momentum on a side of Harbor whose forwards had laid a good foundation for their 17-3 lead.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
Bryn Gatland, North Harbor’s top five, received a yellow card for his collision with Northland center Scott Gregory.
Gatland fared worse for attrition, but made the wrong contact with the man in the air. However, it was debatable whether his actions were worthy of just a penalty or whether he was in fact knocking Gregory down, reaching the threshold of the yellow card. Gatland was still discussing the point with Stone after the game.
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A few minutes later, Northland made the most of his one-man lead, with Rene Ranger demonstrating a dangerous threat from the bench, and kicking a left foot kick for Gregory to slide and score, just as the sun rose on a party that seemed to have it all.
But just after Jared Page’s massive tackle on Ranger spilled the ball and put Fine Inisi on a breakout to seal the result, Gregory was hit with his dubious red card in the 76th minute.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
Referee Cam Stone was at the center of the action during the Northland v North Harbor match.
The New Zealand Sevens representative was really clumsy in going under Xavier Cowley-Tuioti and crashing without competition, but it was again debatable whether it was ‘reckless or deliberate foul play action’, and whether the Harbor replacement landing was considered it in fact a ‘dangerous position’.
Gregory was apologetic and stunned to see red, ending the day on a tough note for Northland, who remains in third place in the championship division.
However, for Harbor, having started the season with three straight losses, they have now jumped from relegation spot and moved up two places to fifth, four points behind Wellington and one ahead of Canterbury.
With pouring rain, points were always going to be tight, and after Gatland opened the scoring with a penalty in the 12th minute, his opposite, Johnny Cooper, responded in turn, two minutes later.
But then Harbor began to stamp his mark through his great men.
Fiona Goodall / Getty Images
North Harbor’s second five-eighth James Little looks to outpace Northland mainstay Coree Te Whata-Colley during their showdown at Whangārei.
Stone didn’t have any of the conditions as an excuse for multiple restart scrums, and set the law for opposing supporters Sione Mafileo and Ross Wright.
But when Wright was pinged on the resulting broadcast, on the addition of his own team, it was a sign that bad things were coming for him and the hosts.
After piggybacking downfield, Harbor found the first try of the game in the 28th minute, with an impressive penalty victory by Murphy Taramai that led to a five-meter lineout, then hooker Luteru Tolai went over the rolling maul.
Five minutes later, they really paid the price for their scrum problems, with Wright showing a yellow card and Taniwha under immense pressure coming into the break.
And with another scrum penalty right at halftime, the hosts finally conceded points, with Harbor’s forwards making good preparation through strong running carries, then the ball was deflected for Gatland to get up.
Gatland’s conversion made it a very useful 17-3 lead at halftime, though after Josh Goodhue dropped the second half kickoff and Harbor soon had a penalty on his way, Harbor No. 10 missed. shot from the front, 30 meters away. .
And that was the closest visitors got to that end of the park in some time.
While Kara Pryor was left kicking himself after hitting the try line inches away, the momentum shifted in the way of the hosts after Gatland’s trash.
But in the end, Harbor was good enough to pull it off.
TAKE A LOOK
North port 24 (Luteru Tolai, Bryn Gatland, Fine Inisi tries; Gatland 3 scam, pen) Northland 8 (Scott Gregory proof; Johnny Cooper pen). HT: 17-3.
MVP Points: Sione Mafileo 3, Murphy Taramai 2, Kara Pryor 1.
