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Bring It: Taiasina Tuifua of Counties and Ben Franks of Tasman square off - Source: Photosport -
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Counties Manukau proved the value of taking points at every
opportunity as they beat Tasman 23-3 to notch their fourth win in
six rounds of the ITM Cup at Pukekohe tonight.
The win not only buried the momory of last week's 3-39 loss to
Waikato but also moved Counties back up into temporary occupation
of third spot in the standings on 19 points alongside
Wellington with the rest of the round still to come.
Tasman, downed 16-21 by Southland in their last outing, never got
going in a match which started in a heavy downpour.
Despite the presence of All Black prop Ben Franks, Tasman's scrum
was shaky at best while their lineouts, like most of their back
play, was ragged.
Tasman halfback Steve Alfeld missed with his first look at goal
early on put his side ahead in the 15th minute with a well-struck
penalty.
That was all Tasman had to celebrate thereafter as the Counties
forwards took control of the match to give all the quick ball their
backline wanted.
Free running wing Sherwin Stowers and fullback Tim Nanai Williams
were Counties' main weapons with able support from halfback August
Pulu and first five-eighth Baden Kerr while Tana Umaga and
Siale Piutau put a lock on the midfield which Tasman never found a
way to break.
Nanai-Williams levelled the scores with a penalty in the 19th
minute after Stowers had chased down a runaway Tasman wing Blair
Cook to stop an almost certain try.
The fullback then slotted an accurate pass to wing Ahsee Tuala to
dot down in the corner after Umaga had broken the Tasman
defence.
Nanai-Williams nailed the conversion and then added another penalty
to put his side 13-3 at halftime.
Tasman hardly fired any shots in the second half, turning ball over
regualrly and running down blind alleys when they had
possession.
Nanai-Williams stretched Counties lead out with a 41st minute
penalty and then Stowers deservedly got a converted try after a
brilliant break by Pulu through a back-pedalling Tasman
defence.
Counties Manukau 23 (Ahsee Tuala, Sherwin
Stowers tries; Tim Nanai-Williams 3 pen, 2 con)
Tasman 3 (Steve Alfeld pen).
Halftime: 13-3.
