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Phil Walter/Getty Images
TK Howden, the hardest working player on the field, celebrates Manawatū’s first win over Auckland in 43 years.
At Eden Park, Auckland: Manawatū 33 (Terrell Peita, Epeli Waqaicece, Joseph Gavigan, TK Howden, Julian Goerke tries; Isaiah Ravula 4 con) Auckland 31(Leni Apisai 2, Salesi Rayasi, Caleb Tangitau, Jock McKenzie tries; McKenzie 3 con) HT: 14-21.
Manawatū beat Auckland at Eden Park for the first time since 1980 with a 33-31 victory on the buzzer in the biggest national provincial championship upset of the season.
Before last Friday, Manawatū hadn’t won in almost two years and 17 NPC matches. Six days later they have won two in a row following Wednesday night’s heroics at Eden Park to end a 43-year drought.
Replacement forward Julian Goerke crashed through the defence in the 80th minute to tie the game and Isaiah Ravula converted from right next to the posts to put the Turbos in front for the first time in the match.
Lead by inspirational blindside flanker TK Howden, the Turbos punched above their weight all night long. Manawatū’s relentless, never give up mindset kept them in the game when they could have so easily let things slip.
The massive underdogs scored the last two tries to secure the thrilling win, their first over Auckland since 1981 which followed the victory at Eden Park the previous year.
Things looked ominous early for Manawatū who trailed 14-0 after tries to Auckland hooker Leni Apisai and winger Salesi Rayasi. The latter hobbled off with an ankle injury immediately after scoring.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Epeli Waqaicece celebrates his try on debut with former All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder.
But fresh from their first win since way back in October 2021, when defeating Northland last Friday night, Manawatū found their mojo following a tough opening quarter.
Ironically it was an Auckland loan player, Terrell Peita, who scored Manawatū’s first try from a trick play around the front of the lineout and then right-winger Epeli Waqaicece fended off Auckland fullback Payton Spencer to make it two tries each.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Payton Spencer, the son of former All Black Carlos Spencer, had some classy touches on debut at fullback for Auckland.
But Spencer, the son of former All Black Carlos Spencer, made up for that miss with a stunning pass to send Auckland winger Caleb Tangitau in just before halftime.
Ill-discipline was the story of the early stages of the second half. Manawatū gave away a needless penalty that offered up Auckland an opportunity to maul over and extend the lead to 12, via Apisai’s second try. But the home side then gave away a couple of their own penalties, which allowed Turbos loosehead prop Joseph Gavigan to hit back from a lineout drive.
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Trailing by just five points, Manawatū appeared to have blown their winning hopes when missing touch from a penalty that would have set up a lineout drive in Auckland’s danger zone.
Howden was then held up over the line in a try-saver from Auckland first-five Jock McKenzie.
McKenzie, who was easily Auckland’s best, then broke the hearts of Turbos fans with a length of the field intercept try. But not even that could break the spirit of the mighty Manawatū.
Howden took it upon himself to score next and bring the giant killers back into the game in the dying minutes.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
TK Howden and the Manawatū giant killers celebrate their shock victory over Auckland on Wednesday night.
Spencer defused a cross kick that appeared to have snuck Auckland home but referee Nick Hogan correctly awarded a 5m scrum to the Turbos because the debutant grabbed the ball from inside the field of play before grounding it.
A couple of phases later Goerke – who had a major impact after entering the game – crashed over to seal the famous victory.
The big moment
Which one? There were many from both teams, but it’s hard to go past Manawatū getting the execution spot on for Goerke’s match-winner when the pressure was on. With time up on the clock, panic could have so easily set in with what was at stake.
Match rating
9/10. A wet night at a near-empty Eden Park in a supposedly one-sided contest didn’t sound too enticing but Manawatū had other ideas. The Turbos were courageous all night but saved their best pieces of class until the end to deliver a thriller that will be the talk of Palmerston North on Thursday morning.
MVP
TK Howden take a bow. The uncompromising blindside flanker was everywhere on both sides of the ball and was all aggression and power in an outstanding performance. It’s hard not to feel for McKenzie who did everything he could to lift to Auckland home but also, his missing two conversions proved the difference.
The big picture
Manawatū probably deserves a parade through the square on Thursday but aside from that, they will chase a third straight win at Nelson’s Trafalgar Park on Sunday when they take on Tasman.
Auckland will be filthy they let a chance to jump up to third on the NPC table slip but should be able to re-group and secure a fourth win of the season against the winless Southland in Invercargill on Sunday.
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