Otago score huge upset in the capital as unpredictable Mitre 10 Cup continues
When it comes to the Mitre 10 Cup, expect the unexpected.
It’s been the theme of the national provincial competition this year, with big names falling to minnows, surprising blowouts and the Ranfurly Shield steadily making its way around the country. That theme continued today.
In Inglewood, Auckland snuck out with a 29-28 win over a Taranaki side which came into the match off the back of double-digit losses to Otago and Northland.
When Auckland winger Salesi Rayasi crossed the line in the first minute of the game, it looked like things might go the same way. But that would be too obvious a storyline.
Instead, after falling behind 5-0 early, Taranaki found their feet with fullback Jayson Potroz scoring 23 unanswered points – consisting of two tries, two conversions and three penalties – to give the hosts a handy lead after 25 minutes. While Taranaki had run over the top of Auckland after the opening try, the visitors closed the gap just before halftime when Jack Whetton crashed over from close range to make it a 23-12 game at the break.
Auckland opted to bring halfback Johnathan Ruru into the game at the break, and his influence was immediate. With two tries to AJ Lam soon after the restart, Auckland had closed the gap to just one point. Taranaki put a little bit of distance between the two sides again with 12 minutes to go when Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens crossed, but the missed conversion left the door ajar for Auckland, who crashed through it in the 75th minute through Rayasi. Simon Hickey’s conversion from right in front sailed through the sticks, and despite some late pressure from Taranaki, it was enough to close out the win.
Further south, the trend continued as Wellington were upset 35-34 at home by an Otago team who, a week ago, were unable to defend the Ranfurly Shield in Dunedin against Hawke’s Bay.
A 79th minute conversion from the boot of Josh Ioane, following a try to lock Jack Regan, was the difference in a back-and-forth affair.
Wellington held double-digit leads twice in the match, including an 11-point buffer with 18 minutes to play.
Elsewhere, North Harbour posted their second-straight win in a 46-10 demolition of Hawke’s Bay. North Harbour crossed for seven tries – including a first-half hat-trick to winger Jared Page. The win, their second of the season, lifts North Harbour off the bottom of the Premiership ladder.
In the final game of the day, a strong second half saw Waikato pull away from Counties Manukau, running away with a 36-13 win in Hamilton. Despite opening the scoring early with a try to winger Liam Coombes-Fabling, Waikato soon found themselves trailing after Counties fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo picked up a loose ball to score a runaway try.
However, a yellow card on the stroke of halftime to Counties prop Conan O’Donnell opened the door for Waikato to get ahead on the scoreboard. Waikato scored 17 points in the 10 minutes O’Donnell was off the park, which gave them the platform to press on with the win.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments