'Flat' Makos snatch late draw [Nelson Mail]
It was important to maintain some perspective at Trafalgar Park last night.
The Golden Edge Tasman Makos are clearly in pre-season mode and there's still another nine days until they kick off their 2014 ITM Cup rugby campaign.
Still, on the evidence of last night's 14-all rain-soaked draw with a gutsy Manawatu side, Tasman will be using the week judiciously as they prepare for their season-opener against Hawke's Bay in Blenheim on August 17.
Tasman never led at any stage of last night's contest, trailing 7-0 at halftime and eventually fighting back from a 14-0 deficit to level the scores with just eight minutes remaining.
Inaccuracy plagued much of their first half performance, and it wasn't until the final quarter of the contest that Tasman began to assert some genuine dominance over some big-hearted Manawatu players.
Manawatu defended superbly for most of the clash, forcing errors and stifling any real hope Tasman had of generating momentum. When Tasman managed to force line-breaks, Manawatu's swarming defence would absorb the danger and compound Tasman's frustration.
Manawatu eventually broke the first half deadlock just three minutes before the break when a clean lineout take by lock Keepa Mewett saw the ball moved wide and through Tasman's defence for pacey winger Newton Tudreu to finish in the corner.
Manawatu's 7-0 halftime lead quickly became 14-0 two minutes after the restart when replacement hooker Rob Foreman charged down an attempted Tom Marshall clearance to put No 8 Antonio Kiri Kiri away for the try.
Marshall responded just minutes later, diving under a mass of defenders following a controlled lineout drive to halve the deficit. But it wasn't until well into the death throes that Tasman's reserve halfback Shawn Begg finally spied a hole in Manawatu's defence from a ruck on the line to help lock up the scores.
Tasman attacked strongly over the dying stages and looked likely to steal a late win. Manawatu managed to hold on grimly though under mounting pressure as time eventually ran out for the home side.
Tasman turned down two second half kicking opportunities from attacking penalties, again highlighting the pre-season nature of the contest as they opted to set their attacking plans in motion.
Tasman head coach Kieran Keane clearly had reservations about his team's performance but under the circumstances - and with several key players still out of action - managed to keep it in perspective.
"I thought the rain stifled what we'd pre-planned and we didn't react terribly well. Manawatu were a better team for a large part of the game and then by about the 65th minute, we started to get our act together."I thought we were flat and pretty inaccurate," Keane said.
"We got a bit more direct and gained a hell of a lot more possession and looked after it." He felt that Manawatu showed more urgency at the breakdowns and that after two games on the road against Canterbury and Otago, his players were beginning to feel the strain.
"I think the three games in a very short period of time and the travel sort of found us out a little bit. I'm not making excuses, but that, coupled with the rain and some average option-taking, we never really got into stride. I think freshening the boys up will do the world of good." However, he was prepared to give Manawatu their dues.
"They were organised, accurate and combative and they played well. I thought for two-thirds of the game, they were better." The Tasman squad headed to Whenua-iti Outdoors today for an overnight camp as the next phase of their pre-season buildup.
SCORERS
Tasman Makos 14 (Tom Marshall, Shawn Begg tries, Mike Wells con, David Havili con) Manawatu Turbos 14 (Newton Tudreu, Antonio Kiri Kiri tries, Otere Black con, Jade Te Rure con) Ht 0-7.
- The Nelson Mail
