Ranfurly Shield Match Savers: Wellington v Tasman 2008

The Match: Wellington Lions v Tasman Mako, 27 September 2008, Wellington Stadium

Referee: Matt Stanish

Conditions: Showery with heavy rain late in the match

Crowd: 15,000.

The Result:  Wellington Lions 26 (Hosea Gear, Jeremy Thrush, Thomas Waldrom tries; Daniel Kirkpatrick pen; Weepu 2 pen, con) Tasman 20 (Kahn Fotuali’i, James Marshall tries; Miah Nikora 2 pen, con; Andrew Goodman con). HT: 3-6.

The Teams:

Wellington: 1. Neemia Tialata, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Tim Fairbrother, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 5. Ross Filipo, 6. Api Naikatini, 7. Chris Masoe, 8. Thomas Waldrom, 9. Piri Weepu, 10. Daniel Kirkpatrick, 11. Hosea Gear, 12. Tane Tu’ipulotu, 13. Tamati Ellison, 14. Buxton Popoalii, 15. Cory Jane. RESERVES: 16. Eugene Smith, 17. Arden David-Perrott, 18. Victor Vito, 19. Scott Fuglistaller, 20. Alby Mathewson, 21. Michael Hobbbs, 22. Tu Umaga-Marshall.

Tasman: 1. Ben May, 2. Daniel Perrin, 3. Ben Franks, 4. Will Crutchley, 5. Alex Ainley, 6. Jack Lam, 7. Jonathon Poff, 8. Mark Bright, 9. Kahn Fotuali’I, 10. Miah Nikora, 11. Afeleki Pelenise, 12. Andrew Goodman, 13. Kade Poki, 14. Blair Cook, 15. Robbie Malneek. RESERVES: 16. Quentin MacDonald, 17. Tristan Moran, 18. Joe Wheeler, 19. Dan Hyatt, 20. Lua Vaoloaloa, 21. James Marshall, 22. Mike Pehi.

Background:

For the first time in 26 seasons, the Wellington Lions were Ranfurly Shield holders. The previous week they had beaten Auckland 27-0 at Eden Park. On their return they were met by hundreds of fans at the airport and thousands more lined the streets for a mid-week parade. All the while they had a week to prepare for their one and only defence of the season. This was against Tasman, who joined the competition in 2006 and had quickly proved themselves as no NPC easybeats.

Whilst the Lions were top of the table and riding high, Tasman were coming off two tight matches, a 3-6 loss to Southland at home in Blenheim and a 21-all draw with Otago in Nelson. In previous close results, they lost to Bay of Plenty 7-8 in week one and edged out Waikato 16-14. This was the third meeting between Wellington and Tasman. In their two previous encounters the Lions ran out 39-25 winners in 2006 and 38-25 in 2007, both at home. This was to be the first Ranfurly Shield game played on Wellington Stadium.

Match notes:

The Lions’ defence was on decidedly shaky ground when Tasman Mako halfback Kahn Fotuali’i dived across the tryline late in the second half to put his side ahead 13-11, with heavy rain about to arrive.

But it was a Fotuali’i indiscretion moments later at the other end of the field and a subsequent penalty in front of the uprights to his opposite Piri Weepu that saw the Lions regain the lead. Fotuali’i was sent to the sin-bin for killing the ball on his own 22-metre line. To the relief of many, the Lions were then able to pull clear with a 75th minute try to lock Jeremy Thrush to make it 21-13, followed by a popular match-winner to No.8 Thomas Waldrom.

Waldrom scored within an arm’s reach of the Ranfurly Shield on display at the entrance to the player’s tunnel, finishing off a counterattack from a Tasman kick and chase, started by left wing Hosea Gear and carried on by centre Tamati Ellison, lock Ross Filipo and Waldrom.

Tasman then crossed after the hooter with the last play of the game through replacement first five-eighth James Marshall, scoring a well-deserved consolation try for the visitors.

Earlier, Tasman had kicked two penalties to Wellington’s one to lead 6-3 at halftime but they were turning into a stroppy wind. Lions skipper Piri Weepu kicked his second penalty make it 6-6, before wing Gear had seized upon a hole inside their 22 and raced through for his 11th try of the 2008 NPC and fifth in successive games to help give the Lions an 11-6 lead.

Aftermath:

As well as the retention of the Shield, the Lions secured top spot for the NPC playoffs with the following week’s final round-robin match against Otago in Dunedin to spare. They went on to win their quarter-final and semi-final before hosting Canterbury in the final. This too proved a tough affair, the Lions going down 6-7 with Canterbury flanker Hayden Hopgood scoring the game’s only try and earning himself a Hurricanes contract for 2009. It was the same again next year, Canterbury taking both the Ranfurly Shield off Wellington and winning their 2009 NPC decider 28-20.