Taranaki hold out North Harbour

Taranaki try-scorer: Paul Perez

Taranaki opened up their Air New Zealand Cup campaign with gutsy 20-13 win over North Harbour in New Plymouth on Friday.

The home side ran in three tries past a determined North Harbour outfit who could only cross over the Tasman whitewash once thanks to All Black winger Rudi Wulf in the second half.

North Harbour went extremely close in the last five minutes of the match, but it wasn't enough as the Taranaki forward pack showed their experience and held the visitors out.

Taranaki led 13-3 at half-time, and although the score-line was in major favour of the homeside, North Harbour will feel they let themselves down as it was the visitors that had the strongest scoring opportunities, but were unable to capitalise on them.

Back playing Tasman after a stint in Japan, winger Shayne Austin scored the opener with just six minutes gone on the clock after a clever chip and regather after he benefited from a great offload by inside centre Corey Niwa.

North Harbour soon got their wits together and exposed some real flaws in the Taranaki defence as they edged closer and closer to the Taranaki line.

An inevitable penalty was soon awarded to North Harbour that allowed captain Jimmy Goperth to have a shot at goal. The former Wellington player was unsuccessful however and Taranaki held on to their slender lead.

The hosts' next touchdown was set up by Austin who went looking for work as play headed towards the right-hand touchline. Coming off his left wing, the Taranaki flyer darted through a gap from a ruck before offloading to partner in crime, Paul Perez, for a try in the 20th minute.

Having missed both conversion, Taranaki fly-half Willie Ripia had some better luck with a massive penalty two meters short of the half-way line that gave his team a handy 13-0 lead with thirteen minutes of the half remaining.

The home side were then left to soldier on with one man down after lock Craig Clarke was given his marching orders by referee Kelvin Deaker for repeat infringements at the breakdown.

Gopperth made sure of the resulting penalty to open up North Harbour's account, but the 10-point deficit at half-time was always going to be difficult for his side to overhaul.

Taranaki missed an opportunity to stretch their advantage shortly after the restart when the TMO ruled that Perez knocked the ball on in North Harbour's in-goal area as he chased down a loose ball.

North Harbour then enjoyed their best spell of the game as their forwards matched the vigour and intensity of their opposition as well as getting the better of the line-outs to enable Gopperth to earn them good field position.

Nothing came of that change in fortune, though, until midway through the spell when inside centre Mike Harris blocked a kick through to turn over possession.

The visitors surged forward and Wulf eventually scored after being given plenty of space by a long pass to the left by Gopperth, who also converted from a wide angle to slash the difference to three points.

Game on!

Taranaki responded quickly though, via English import Tom Ryder when the big lock flung himself over the line after Austin had been held up when the home side patiently forged their way into the North Harbour 22.

Ripia's conversion restored the 10-point buffer with thirteen minutes remaining.

Gopperth almost immediately cut it back to seven with his second penalty of the match, but time was not on North Harbour's side but at least take away a losing bonus point for the efforts.

The scorers:

For Taranaki:

Tries: Austin, Perez, Ryder

Con: Ripia

Pen: Ripia

For North Harbour:

Try: Wulf

Con: Gopperth

Pens: Gopperth 2

Yellow card: Clarke; repeated infringement (Taranaki, 30 min)

Taranaki: 15 Asalemo Malo, 14 Paul Perez, 13 Jonathan Spratt, 12 Corey Niwa, 11 Shayne Austin, 10 Willie Ripia, 9 Brett Goodin, 8 Taiasina Tuifua, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Nemia Soqeta, 5 Craig Clarke, 4 Jason Eaton, 3 Hamish Mitchell, 2 Laurence Corlett, 1 Tony Penn (c).

Replacements: 16 James Annabell, 17 Shane Cleaver, 18 Tom Ryder, 19 Alex Tulou, 20 Brendan Haami, 21 Nathan Hohaia, 22 Jack Cameron.

North Harbour: 15 George Pisi, 14 Viliame Waqaseduadua, 13 Jamie Helleur, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Jimmy Gopperth (c), 9 Chris Smylie, 8 Viliame Maafu, 7 Robbie Colhoun, 6 Tom Chamberlain, 5 Bernie Upton, 4 Chris Smith, 3 Sam Biddles, 2 James Hinchco, 1 James Afoa.

Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Michael Reid, 18 Richard Mayhew, 19 Malakai Ravulo, 20 Matt France, 21 Nafi Tuitavake, 22 Hayden Abercrombie.

Referee: Kelvin Deaker

TMO: Garratt Williamson