Auckland repulses spirited challenge

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 26

Auckland repulses spirited challenge

PA Auckland Auckland repulsed a spirited challenge by Taranaki for the Ranfurly Shield, winning 44-15 at Eden Park on Saturday. At one stage Taranaki trailed, 15-26, but in the last 12 minutes Auckland scored three converted tries to give it a 29-point margin. Bryce McEldowney, the Taranaki coach, and Kieran Crowley, the challenging captain, said later they were proud their players had made such a strong challenge. Crowley said other provincial sides were improving and narrowing the gap with Auckland. Taranaki produced some bold play in the middle of the game although it never looked like pulling back the 23-6 lead Auckland had taken by half-time in sunny conditions. Crowley got a penalty goal, his third, in the fourteenth minute of the second half, and 10 minutes later Taranaki got the next points — a try in the corner to the loose forward, Kevin Barrett. Crowley converted. That try stung Auckland into action and four minutes later Auckland launched its 18point blitz which stopped the Taranaki bid for glory. However, the challengers had already earned warm praise for their skill and bravery and total commitment to their team’s cause.

Taranaki struggled against the smooth Auckland teamwork in the lineouts, but held up well in the scrums.

Barrett, lan Marshal! and Hank Schrader were always competitive in the loose, especially when they had the wing Bryce Robins and the prop Mark Hail to give assistance.

Taranaki took time to settle down, was able to launch many attacks — sometimes with men to spare — on the Auckland line, but only one got through. That was Barrett in a rather messy and Impromptu movement.

Otherwise, the Auckland defence held firm and the important tackles were made decisively. When it really counted, in the last part of the match, Auckland regained the dominance which the crowd of about 10,000 had probably expected from the start.

With brilliant combination between backs and forwards, and from impromptu moves from loose play, Auckland was able to make the breaks and string together the passes which brought those last three tries which gave Auckland another, if possibly inflationary, win. Terry Wright (2), John Kirwan, Brett Iti, Zinzan Brooke and Alan Whetton scored Auckland’s tries. Grant Fox kicked four conversions and four penalty goals. Kevin Barrett scored a try for Taranaki and Kieran Crowley kicked a conversion and three penalty goals. The referee was Geoff Bishop of Hawke’s Bay.