Mako women victorious

Whoever said “you have to play the whole 80 minutes to get the job done” obviously was not referring to the Tasman women’s rugby team at Trafalgar Park today.

The Mako women won their Farah Palmer championship clash with North Harbour in Nelson this afternoon after turning a 21-0 halftime deficit into a 26-21 victory.

It was the classic “game of two halves”.

In the first 40 Tasman were shunted off the park by a Hibiscus side who registered three converted tries, showing more structure, intent and power. The Mako were unable to force field position, could not hold the ball for lengthy phases and struggled with a dysfunctional lineout.

But, whatever coach Mel Bosman said and planned at halftime had immediate effect.

Coming out with more energy and motivation, the Mako took advantage of a North Harbour sin-binning after seven minutes to register their first try, to lively midfielder Chloe Dixon.

First five Cassie Siataga converted, then slowly took control of the match with her long kicking game.

Three minutes later replacement Sarah Jones got on the scoresheet, the beneficiary of a clever pass from stand-out winger Fiaali’a Solomona.

Siataga missed that conversion but made no mistake 15 minutes later when she added the extras to a superb solo effort from Solomona, racing over 50m on the left flank after a solid fend-off to her opposite.

However, the home side still trailed 21-19 and, with time running out they rolled the dice.

Hot on attack up under the Harbour posts they turned down a penalty shot to win the match, tapped and spun the ball wide where it was gratefully accepted by centre Lesieli Taufa who dotted down for the winning try, again converted by the influential Siataga.

She, alongside loosies Sui Pauaraisa and Tamara Silcock, midfielders Dixon and Taufa, Solomona, plus hardworking locks Tanita Garnett and Brooklyn Logan, along with captain and No 8 Tamara Silcock were influential in manufacturing a comeback for the ages.