Taranaki extends Auckland

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 28

Taranaki extends Auckland

: PA New Plymouth ! Auckland survived tremenidous second-half pressure to score a 13-10 win over I Taranaki in a national first(division representative rugby (match at Rugby Park, New (Plymouth, yesterday. Taranaki, lifting its performance after two previous weak efforts, held a strong territorial advantage in the second spell, but could not score more than a penalty goal. Auckland, thanks to the brilliance of All Black wing, Bryan Williams, took advantage of its limited opportunities and led, 10-7, at halftime. Williams scored Auckland’s

first try when he crashed through a tackle at the corner after 16min in the first half.

A minute before the break, with Taranaki leading, 7-4, Williams started an attack from near the left-hand touch-line. He careered infield and raced to Taranaki’s quarter before passing to Alistair Sutherland and Tim Twigden, who scored in the right-hand comer.

Auckland added a penalty goal early in the second spell from Richard Dunn, but from then on it was all Taranaki, but although the home side hammered away at the Auckland line, it could not get across, with Stephen David-

son missing three kicks at goal by narrow margins. Auckland’s inside backs were occasionally caught by Taranaki’s loose forwards, well led by Graham Mourie, returning to play despite scarcely recovering from a fracture at the base of his spine. Scorers.—For Auckland: B. G. Williams, T. Twigden tries; R. Dunn a conversion and a penalty. For Taranaki: S. Davidson a try; Davidson and P. Martin penalties! Horowhenua scored its third win in the national second division competition at Thames when it comfortably defeated Thames Valley, 22-0.

And at Masterton, Wanganui continued its winning run in the division when it beat Wairarapa Bush, 17-9, after leading, 13-3, at halftime.

In the third second-division match the wind played a major part in King Country’s first win of the season when it beat East Coast, 26-11, at Turangi yesterday. East Coast played with the strong wind in the first spell and had a lead of 11-0 at half-time.

An advantage built up in the first half enabled Waikato to beat Hawke’s Bay, 13-10, in a non-competition match at Hamilton.