NZ Maori claim Pacific Cup title

[ozbash]

New Zealand Maori claimed the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup rugby title after a late Thomas Waldrom try provided a nailbiting 21-18 victory over Australia A in Sydney today.

Waldrom scored in the 76th minute at Aussie Stadium to give New Zealand Maori a one-point lead before Piri Weepu added the conversion.
They then had to survive a last-minute penalty miss from the Australians when Mark Gerrard came up centimetres short with a 45m effort after the hooter.
Had the match finished in a draw, Australia A would have won the title because they had banked 19 points from their previous four matches to the 17 of New Zealand Maori and had a far superior points differential.
Two tries from league convert Timana Tahu appeared to have placed Australia A on track to condemn New Zealand Maori to defeat.
However, co-captain Tamati Ellison atoned for some earlier defensive lapses on Tahu to set up the matchwinning score when he darted down the right flank before inpassing to Waldrom to surge over.
New Zealand Maori led 14-7 at halftime thanks to tries to Tanerau Latimer and Liam Messam before Australia A regained the ascendancy until the dying stages.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4609536a10295.html

 

[African Monkey]

Well done Maori but I feel that NZ A should be playing instead of the Maori.

 

[Alehana]

wohooo, Aus B cant even beat NZ C, hahah, few years back aus would have got that kick, things have changed, what the hell is kepu doing in aus, didn't he make NZ under 19's and stuff?

agree about Junior AB's they should be there, and maori in churchill cup

 

[shiznit]

i disagree.... i think the PNC is perfect for the Maori. the competition has alot to do with the mixing of cultures.. Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Japanese.... and the Maori would be the best representation for NZ. i think Jnr All Blacks & Australia A should play South Africa A in a Tri-nations competition of sorts.... then perhaps replace Australia A in the PNC with Argentina.

 

[kia ora storm]

Agree...the Maoris should not be in this. We need to give Aus some hope..

 

[Alehana]

i think its just stupid to have a NZ C team playing ahead of NZ B, so many quality players were playing club rugby cause they wern't Maori, if junior AB's r in a different competition then i'm all up for have Maori in PNC, but if NZ C come ahead of NZ B then theres a problem

 

[shiznit]

i think its just stupid to have a NZ C team playing ahead of NZ B, so many quality players were playing club rugby cause they wern't Maori, if junior AB's r in a different competition then i'm all up for have Maori in PNC, but if NZ C come ahead of NZ B then theres a problem

the reason why it happend this year was because the NZRFU didnt want to pay for the Jnrs.

there will always be a Maori side... how the NZRFU plays them though is up to them... obviously they wanted to cut costs and they had to weigh up the Jnrs V Maori;s... it was a no brainer they would have gone with the Maoris...

and im not really sure the Maori are a C team.... the Maori's would pump the Jnrs...

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Not much difference between the 2 sides anyway tbh

If they look hard enough they always find some Maori background in the players

 

[African Monkey]

Yeah that's true e.g. Paul Tito.

 

[Alehana]

kieran reid, lelia masaga, chris masoe??

its it coz of the funding that we left churchhill cup?

 

[Rovelli]

Surprised that the Maori won. Australia A had the stronger side.