AIR NEW ZEALAND CUP

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Waikato settle for a draw

Thursday 14th August 2008

Dejected: Waikato skipper Liam Messam will have to wait another week for that elusive win

A draw is better than a loss, especially if your team is Waikato, who avoided their third straight defeat in the Air New Zealand Cup when they played to a 38-38 stalemate with Manawatu in Palmerston North on Thursday.

A huge comeback by the home side saw the Turbos crawl back from a huge deficit to claim a vital two points from the draw against a Waikato side that looks to be really struggling this season.

However, both teams will take positives from the game as Waikato notches up their first points of the competition and Manawatu claims a draw against a former heavyweight side.

Waikato, who lost their first two matches of the season to Northland and then Tasman, seemed to have the match sewn up after scoring four tries in the space of 13 minutes.

They touched down just before half-time which put them back into a one-point lead and then three in succession after the break that took the score to 38-16 in their favour.

Manawatu, seeking their first win over Waikato since a 27-13 win in the then NPC in 1987, then took over.

Promising youngster Aaron Cruden, who replaced Matty James after Manawatu's first choice pivot injured himself following his collision with a rugby post, played a starring role in the fightback along with full-back Francisco Bosch and wings Lote Raikabula and Andre Taylor.

Waikato surged into an early lead with a try to hooker Oli Avei in the third minute after a series of rucks close to the line.

Ten minutes later and with Manawatu struggling to gain possession, Waikato stretched their lead out to twelve points when skipper Liam Messam scored an opportunistic try, popping over the top of a Manawatu ruck on the line to palm the ball down.

Manawatu stayed in touch through two penalties and a fine drop-goal by James.

The hosts then took the lead through hooker Rob Foreman whose converted try finished off a move started by Bosch and carried on by Raikabula.

But Waikato got their noses in front from the re-start when Avei dived over for his brace after a charge down by lock Toby Lynn.

Two quick tries to centre Jackson Willison and another by wing Tim Mikkelson - two of them converted by Callum Bruce - put Waikato 38-16 in front.

However Manawatu's replacement prop David Te Moana wasn't enjoying the score and soon added five points of his own after he was driven over the line to score the Turbos' second of the night.

Waikato flanker Tom Harding was then yellow carded for illegal play in a ruck and made the visitors' sixteen-point buffer suddenly look a little vulnerable.

Manawatu capitalised on having one extra player and scored again down the sideline through slinky winger Raikabula.

With the successful conversion adding another two points the score was taken to 38-29 with 20 minutes remaining.

Manawatu soon scored down the same touchline again after Cruden set up Taylor to score the match leveling try.

Cruden's conversion attempt missed and left the scores even at 38-points apiece.

The scorers:

For Manawatu:
Tries: Taylor, Raikabula,Te Moana, Foreman
Cons: James, Cruden
Pens: James 3
Drop goal: James

For Waikato:
Tries: Mikkelson, Willison 2, Forbes, Avei, Messam
Cons: Bruce 4

Yellow card: Tom Harding, infringement at the ruck (Waikato)

Manawatu: 15 Francisco Bosch, 14 Aaron James, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Francis Bryant, 11 Andre Taylor, 10 Matty James, 9 Aaron Good, 8 Nick Crosswell, 7 Doug Tietjens, 6 Hamish Gosling, 5 Paul Rodgers, 4 Hayden Triggs (c), 3 Talau Hala, 2 Sean O'Connor, 1 Grant Polson.
Replacements: 16 Rob Foreman, 17 David Te Moana, 18 Ross Adaam, 19 James Goode, 20 Aaron Smith, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Lote Raikabula.

Waikato: 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Tim Mikkelson, 13 Dwayne Sweeney, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Callum Bruce, 9 David Bason, 8 Liam Messam (c), 7 Tom Harding, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Kevin O'Neill, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Aled de Malmanche, 2 Ole Avei, 1 Hikairo Forbes.
Replacements: 16 Craig West, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Kent Fife, 19 Matt Blain, 20 Josh Sutherland, 21 Trent Renata, 22 Roimata Hansell-Pune.

Referee: Bryce Lawrence
TMO: Kelvin Deaker