Mooloo's Take Down Manawatu In Final Play
14th October 2010 09:52PM
It came down to the final play of the game, with a try scored by Stephen Donald in the 79th minute to tip the scoreboard Waikato's way 27-25. In what was an injury -laden match that saw Waikato playing catch-up for a majority of the 80 minutes, the men in Red, Yellow and Black managed to find their rhythm in the second half to pip the home team at the post.
A messy start for Waikato saw several penalties given away, with Manawatu's Aaron Cruden managing to convert one of those into 3 points for the Turbo's . Waikato Hooker Vern Kamo required medical attention for a shoulder injury after a scrum which eventually saw him sidelined in the 17th minute with replacement hooker Hikairo Forbes taking to the field for the remainder of the game. The 28th minute saw Stephen Donald turn a penalty from 25 metres out into Waikato's first 3 points on the board. Manawatu's Rob Foreman was the first across the line with Cruden adding the 2 to bring the score to 10-3 to the home side going into half-time.
Fresh from the sheds a determined Waikato team put up the first points of the second half with a magnificent try from Donald, sidestepping three Manawatu players to make it across the line. Donald added the extra 2 to bring it to 10-10. Cruden matched this with a try and conversion of his own upping the score to 17-10. The 55th minute saw Waikato awarded a penalty 25 metres out with Donald knocking it over easily to bring the score to 17-13. Continuing the tit-for-tat battle, Cruden matched this with a penalty himself.
Mils Muliaina's break away turned into 5 points with Waikato halfback Malcolm Barnes crossing the line in his first start for Waikato this year. Donald added the 2 points to bring it to 20-all. Manawatu weren't going down without a fight, countering Barnes try with 5-points of their own from Michael Fitzgerald. A leg injury saw Jack Lam struggle off the field with Kent Fife replacing him. In something reminiscent of the Auckland game in Round 2 this year, Waikato left it to the last play of the game, with Donald stretching over the line in the 79th minute, then converting his own try to bring the final score to 27-25, with Donald scoring 22 of those points himself.
First Half
Half-time score: 3-10
Penalties: Stephen Donald
Second Half
Full-time score: 27-25
Tries: Donald (2), Malcolm Barnes
Conversions: Donald (3)
Penalties: Donald
The Waikato team that took on Manawatu in Palmerston North on Thursday was:
1. Ben May
2. Vern Kamo
3. Nathan White (Captain)
4. Toby Lynn
5. Romana Graham
6. Matt Vant Leven
7. Jack Lam
8. Alex Bradley
9. Malcolm Barnes
10. Stephen Donald
11. Henry Speight
12. Jackson Willison
13. Save Tokula
14. Sosene Anesi
15. Mils Muliaina
Reserves:
16. Hikairo Forbes (on for Kamo @ 17 mins)
17. Toby Smith (on for May @ 60 mins)
18. Kent Fife (on for Lam @ 74 mins)
19. Zak Hohneck (on for Vant Leven @ 57 mins)
20. David Bason
21. Christian Lealiifano (on for Willison @ 67 mins)
22. Dwayne Sweeney (on for Speight @ 57 mins)
Waikato take on Canterbury at Waikato Stadium in Round 13 of the ITM Cup on Friday 22 October. Kick-off is 7.35pm.
