Tasman jump to top but Taniwha tough

Defending champions Tasman have jumped to the top of the NPC Premiership standings after seeing off a spirited Northland in Whanga¯rei.

On returning to action following the Covid-19-enforced hiatus, the Mako have leapt ahead of Canterbury and Waikato on the standings as the only unbeaten team in the top division, but were made to work for their 46-29 victory at Semenoff Stadium yesterday.

In the end the Mako ran in eight tries – with doubles to Leicester Fainga’anuku and Mark Telea – but it was a commendable effort from the bottom-of-the-Championship hosts, who prior to lockdown had been hammered in both outings, by 47 and 34 points.

They even managed to score five tries of their own, to get on the board in the competition with a bonus point.

There was a point, with 30min to play, and down just 24-22, that the momentum was actually with the Taniwha.

After a seven-try first half and still in the game at 24-15 down, having struck right on halftime, Northland then also found the first points of the second stanza when captain Jordan Olsen burrowed his way over.

But another impressive box kick from Tasman halfback Jack Grooby proved a momentumturner,

with it a 50/22. While the visitors didn’t profit straight away, they had already been deadly down that end of the field and proved so again as Fainga’anuku put on a big burst, then followed up to finish.