ID :
11723
Mon, 07/07/2008 - 10:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11723
The shortlink copeid
NZ Maori clinch Pacific Nations Cup
(AAP) - Recovering stars Timana Tahu and Hugh McMeniman produced powerhouse performances, but couldn't prevent Australia A suffering a heartbreaking 21-18 loss to New Zealand Maori in their Pacific Nations Cup rugby decider at Sydney Football Stadium.
The Australians came agonisingly close to securing the draw which would have earned
them their first PNC title but Mark Gerrard's last-minute, 45-metre penalty dipped
under the crossbar.
The Maori grabbed the win and the title when flanker Thomas Waldrom crossed the line
with less then three minutes remaining and completed a hat-trick of tries from the
visitors back row.
Inside centre Tahu and reserve backrower McMeniman each enhanced their Tri Nations
selection prospects.
Tahu, who missed much of the Waratahs Super campaign scored both of Australia's
tries and frequently tested the Maori defence with his dazzling footwork.
Reds forward McMeniman, who also missed a large chunk of the Super tournament,
followed up his cameo in the Test against France, with a eye catching second half
performance off the bench.
Australia led 7-0 early through Tahu's first try, but Maori held a 14-7 advantage at
the break after converted tries to flanker Tanerau Latimer and number eight and
captain Liam Messam.
Gerrard kicked two penalties to bring the Australians within one point and Tahu gave
them the lead on the hour, when he squeezed through two defenders.
"Tahu described his toughest representative rugby game yet as a `tester'," Tahu said.
"They were rushing out of a line and I think they just didn't really care whether I
got the ball and tried to do something, they were just out to try and bash me.
"Playing with that sort of pressure, it was actually good."
Injury prone McMeniman said he had never played games on successive days before and
his fitness and confidence had been boosted by his three A team appearances.
"You build confidence and of course your fitness. Usually it takes me about three
Super 14 games to be right in the swing of things, so with three A games, I'm
definitely on the way," McMeniman said.
McMeniman and Tahu each earned praise from A coach Phil Mooney who described the
dramatic defeat as "a game of lost opportunities".
"We really gifted them 14 points at the back end of the (first) half and worked
really well in the second half to get ourselves into a position from where we
probably should have shut the game out," Mooney said.
"But in the end we just weren't quite good enough."
Maori coach Donny Stevenson described his team's tournament victory as `huge'.
"This is a new rivalry with Australia and its one that's not going to go away,"
Stevenson said.
"We got out to a bit of a lead and I never got complacent because we were putting
ourself under so much pressure in terms of retaining the ball and you do that
against a team like Australia A and you are going to get punished and we very nearly
did."
The Australians came agonisingly close to securing the draw which would have earned
them their first PNC title but Mark Gerrard's last-minute, 45-metre penalty dipped
under the crossbar.
The Maori grabbed the win and the title when flanker Thomas Waldrom crossed the line
with less then three minutes remaining and completed a hat-trick of tries from the
visitors back row.
Inside centre Tahu and reserve backrower McMeniman each enhanced their Tri Nations
selection prospects.
Tahu, who missed much of the Waratahs Super campaign scored both of Australia's
tries and frequently tested the Maori defence with his dazzling footwork.
Reds forward McMeniman, who also missed a large chunk of the Super tournament,
followed up his cameo in the Test against France, with a eye catching second half
performance off the bench.
Australia led 7-0 early through Tahu's first try, but Maori held a 14-7 advantage at
the break after converted tries to flanker Tanerau Latimer and number eight and
captain Liam Messam.
Gerrard kicked two penalties to bring the Australians within one point and Tahu gave
them the lead on the hour, when he squeezed through two defenders.
"Tahu described his toughest representative rugby game yet as a `tester'," Tahu said.
"They were rushing out of a line and I think they just didn't really care whether I
got the ball and tried to do something, they were just out to try and bash me.
"Playing with that sort of pressure, it was actually good."
Injury prone McMeniman said he had never played games on successive days before and
his fitness and confidence had been boosted by his three A team appearances.
"You build confidence and of course your fitness. Usually it takes me about three
Super 14 games to be right in the swing of things, so with three A games, I'm
definitely on the way," McMeniman said.
McMeniman and Tahu each earned praise from A coach Phil Mooney who described the
dramatic defeat as "a game of lost opportunities".
"We really gifted them 14 points at the back end of the (first) half and worked
really well in the second half to get ourselves into a position from where we
probably should have shut the game out," Mooney said.
"But in the end we just weren't quite good enough."
Maori coach Donny Stevenson described his team's tournament victory as `huge'.
"This is a new rivalry with Australia and its one that's not going to go away,"
Stevenson said.
"We got out to a bit of a lead and I never got complacent because we were putting
ourself under so much pressure in terms of retaining the ball and you do that
against a team like Australia A and you are going to get punished and we very nearly
did."
