Mooloo Men in bonus point win
Northland made hosts work for victory
Waikato Rugby have made it two from two so far in their storm week after a 34-19 bonus point win over Northland at FMG Stadium Waikato in round four of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC.
The home team were caught napping to allow the first try to Northland. After giving away a penalty close to their own line, Northland took a quick tap and then a Lisati Milo-harris crossfield kick for winger Nathan Salmon saw him collect and cross for the first try.
First five-eighths Dan Hawkins was unsuccessful with the conversion but the visitors led 5-0 after three minutes. Waikato struck right back to take the lead, though.
After collecting a pass, dynamic young flanker Oli Mathis broke an attempted tackle from Hawkins and then put on the after-burners to run 45m untouched to score under the posts.
Tepaea Cook-savage added the extras from in front and Waikato led 7-5 after seven minutes.
Hautapu halfback Quintony Ngatai was the next to score for Waikato. Ngatai took the ball from the back of a scrum 60m out and went to the blindside, after 25m he put in a chip kick. Mistakes from the Northland defenders and a favourable bounce allowed him to dive on the ball before the dead-ball line to score Waikato’s second five-pointer.
Cook-savage was successful with the conversion and the home team extended their lead to nine points.
Midway through the first half, Waikato
scored again when left-winger Aki Tuivailala went in under the posts.
After winning their own lineout 40m out, D’angelo Leuila put in a chip kick that Mathis collected, before drawing in two defenders and offloading to Tuivailala for him to race away untouched to score.
Cook-savage was again successful with the extras and Waikato led 21-5 after 22 minutes.
However, Northland scored the next two tries via halfback Milo-harris at 25 minutes and Quintin Nichols at 40 minutes, with both converted by Hawkins.
Waikato went into the halftime break ahead 21-19.
In the second half, Cook-savage’s successful penalty shot pushed Waikato’s lead back to five points after Northland were penalised for being offside only five minutes in.
It was a scrappy second half with not a lot of points — it took 21 minutes for the next points to be scored.
After Northland were awarded a scrum, Waikato monstered them to win the penalty in a kickable position for Cook-savage, and he added a further three points to the home team’s score to make it an eight-point game with 13 to play.
Waikato picked up the bonus point try right on fulltime when co-captain Xavier Roe collected an offload from Austin Anderson 5m from the line to cross for Waikato’s fourth.
Cook-savage kept his 100% kicking record on the night as he successfully converted the try, helping Waikato achieve a bonus-point 34-19 win to move into fifth place in the Bunnings NPC standings.
It was another special night for the Hamilton Marist club with reserve forwards Gabe Robinson and Adrein Wharawhara making their Mooloo debuts, while lock Josh Balme got his first start.
Waikato 34 (Oli Mathis, Quintony Ngatai, Aki Tuivailala, Xavier Roe tries; Tepaea Cook-savage 4 conversions, 2 penalties)
Northland 19 (Nathan Salmon, Lisati Milo-harris, Quintin Nichols tries; Dan Hawkins 2 conversions). HT: 21-19