Steamers roll Manawatu
The rugby fever gathering momentum in the Manawatu in recent weeks was halted for the year on Thursday night as the Turbos went down 27-16 to the Bay of Plenty Steamers at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North.
An uninspired Bay of Plenty, just one week out from play-off rugby, overcame its opposition more because of Manawatu's inability to finish rather than anything spectacular on attack.
The Turbos' entertaining but ultimately disappointing final hit out of the year was marked by the many opportunities created but left unfinished.
The performance was personified by Simeli Tuiteci who again showed that he could be a daunting attacking weapon for Manawatu by continuing his impressive form from last week.
The electrifying left wing easily creating half a dozen try-scoring opportunities but once more was let down by handling errors at crucial moments.
Manawatu first five-eighths Matty James, striking the ball sweetly off his boot, landed two long range penalty goals to give his side an early 6-0 buffer.
Bay of Plenty replied in the 14th minute when the ball was kept tight and the continual pick and go play soon exposed the Manawatu defence around the fringes of the ruck.
Halfback Jamie Nutbrown took advantage of his big pack's good work and darted through a half gap and touched down under the posts.
Murray Williams' subsequent conversion pushed the Bay in front by one.
A tight wrestling match ensued between the two 22ms with neither side able to push its way into the opposition's danger zones.
The tussle was on multiple occasions broken up by a combination of Tane Tu'ipulotu, Tuiteci and Tomasi Komainaua working together in midfield.
Disappointingly, however, the attacking manoeuvres often ended with an appalling mistake.
The margin stayed unchanged until the 52nd minute when the Steamers ran in a converted try.
The ball was sent across the field and back again until flanker Warren Smith eventually found a way through a tiring Manawatu defence.
James pulled three points back for Manawatu two minutes later before he was substituted out of the game.
Home-town fullback Francisco Bosch showed individual brilliance, and celebrated with appropriate theatrics, when he chipped and re-gathered the ball at pace before finally scoring under the posts.
The conversion from Graham Smith snuck Manawatu in front for the second time in the match 16-14.
The Steamers, however, wisely accepted their next opportunity to kick at goal and Williams made no mistake to push the visitors back to one in front.
Williams started tapping the nail in the coffin when he made the score 20-16 from a long range penalty opportunity with nine minutes to play.
Cory Aporo then hammered that nail in all the way for the Steamers with a converted try on the right wing four minutes later.
The game ended deservedly 27-16 to Bay of Plenty but Manawatu again, promisingly for next year, showed the ability to compete against a legitimate first division side.
Bay of Plenty 27 (Jamie Nutbrown, Warren Smith, Cory Aporo try, Murray Williams 2 con, 3 pen) Manawatu 16 (Francisco Bosch 1 try, Graham Smith 1 con, Matty James 3 pen) HT 7-6 BOP
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