Tasman knock over Taranaki to set up all Crusaders NPC final

Tasman:41 (Ross Geldenhuys, Alex Nankivell, Mitchell Hunt, Billy Guyton, Marty Banks tries; 5 con, 2 pen) Taranaki: 29 (Seta Tamanivalu, Johnny Fa'auli', Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Declan O'Donnell, Mitchell Croswell tries; Marty McKenzie 2 con)

WHAT HAPPENED

It will be an all Crusaders final in the NPC decider in Christchurch next Saturday night. Tasman joined Canterbury after eliminating Taranaki in a thrilling semi-final in New Plymouth.  

With five minutes left Tasman was hanging on grimly to a 34-29 lead. Taranaki had a lineout on halfway. The ball was palmed towards halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, but bounced awkwardly away from his grasp. Tasman's reserve lock Ethan Blackadder pounced and sprinted inside the Taranaki 22. Tasman then retained the ball for a further 29 phases before Marty Banks sailed through the exhausted hosts defence to cap a magnificent victory for the Makos.

Tasman's discipline and accuracy in the final moments was a reflection of much of the match. Taranaki was dangerous from broken play and was able to apply concerted pressure for ten minutes just past the hour mark, but passive defence and poor handling proved costly.

Tasman was ahead 24-12 at halftime and 34-19 after 60 minutes, missing two penalty shots in the 58th and 61st minutes which would have surely put the game beyond Taranaki's reach earlier.

Taranaki started with vigour scoring the opening try in the third minute. A bustling run by Mitchell Crosswell created numbers down the short side and Seta Tamanivalu finished.
Ross Geldenhuys responded for the visitors muscling over after slick handling by Billy Guyton, but Taranaki kicked ahead in the 31st minute when the imposing Fa'auli' crawled over on his hands and knees.

A three-try burst in twelve minutes powered Tasman 31-12 ahead after 47 minutes. Nankivell bustled over supporting a break by Shane Christie. Moments later James Lowe chipped the ball to the Taranaki ten-metre mark and it went between the legs of Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi. Lowe regathered and passed to Mitchell Hunt in the clear. Early in the second-spell Guyton fooled the defense with a dummy from close range.

Tahuriorangi and Mitchell Graham combined from a lineout to pull one back for Taranaki. Graham threw short to Tahuriorangi who slipped into a gap at the front, before the pair exchanged passes again with the former scoring.

Banks kicked a penalty after a high tackle to made it 34-19 and could have settled the contest had he slotted two additional shots from about 40-metres.

On life support, Taranaki rallied. Tahuriorangi and Croswell set up Declan O'Donnell with quick hands on the blindside and a lineout move resulted in Stephen Perofeta breaching the Tasman defense and Croswell celebrating a deserved try. Croswell's defiance counted for little however. Tasman keeping their cool to prevail.

WHO PLAYED WELL

Captains Crosswell and Christie led from the front with Christie having the last laugh. Banks will be a massive loss for Tasman when he heads overseas. Nankivell, a late injury replacement, had a blinder as did Guyton and Alex Ainley. For Taranaki, Tahuriorangi was lively, Fa'auli had a storming first-half and Brown and Iopu Iopu-Aso made telling
contributions.

BY THE NUMBERS

Tasman have won their last three games against Taranaki. Four of the last six games have been decided by less than a converted try.

Marty Banks scored 21 points. The record number of points in this fixture belongs to Beauden Barrett who scored 29 points for Taranaki (1t, 3c, 6p) in 2012. Earlier in the season Banks scored 20 points in Tasman's 25-20 win.

Banks has scored 149 points this season making him the leading points scorer in the Mitre 10 Cup. He has three hauls of 20 points or more in a single game this season.

WHERE TO NEXT

AMI Stadium for the final. Tasman will be seeking their first ever Premiership after losing the decider two years ago. Canterbury are hunting a ninth crown in the last decade.

TEAMS

Taranaki (15-1): Stephen Perofeta, Declan O'Donnell, Seta Tamanivalu, Johnny Fa'auli, Latu Vaeno, Marty McKenize, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Toa Halafihi, Mitchell Crosswell ©, Mitchell Brown, Leighton Price, Ben Matwijow, Reuben O'Neill, Rhys Marshall, Mitchell Graham. Reserves, Sione Lea, Jared Proffit, Cocker or O'Neill, Iopu Iopu-Aso, Lachlan Boshier, Cody Whittaker, Sean Wainui, Waisake Naholo  

Tasman (15-1): Mitchell Hunt, Viliami Lolohea, Kieron Fonotia, David Havili, James Lowe, Marty Banks, Billy Guyton, Pete Samu, Shane Christie ©, Tevita Koloamatangi, Alex Ainley, Pari Pari Parkinson, Ross Geldenhuys, Jesse MacDonald, Tim Perry. Reserves: Brendan Asomua-Goodman, Kane Hames, Siua Halanukonuka, Shannon Frizell, Ethan Blackadder, Finlay Christie, Alex Nankivell, Caleb Makene.