The Vodafone Wellington Lions beat Auckland 16-15 and retained the Ranfurly Shield in their Air New Zealand Cup round four match at a pressure-cooker Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

 

The Vodafone Wellington Lions defended superbly to hold off Auckland in a tense and tight match to record their 50^th win in Ranfurly Shield rugby and their fifth of their current tenure.

 

This victory was also their third in four matches in the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup, ahead of their fifth round match and next Ranfurly Shield defence against Canterbury next weekend.

 

Composure and committment under pressure were the keys to victory as a free-wheeling Auckland came back from a 8-16 deficit to score a converted try to close the margin to just one point with 10 minutes still on the clock. 

 

Replacement Auckland halfback Taniela Moa shot clear in broken play and scooted to score under the posts in the 70^th minute, replacement first five-eighth Daniel Bowden added the extra two points and Auckland's quest to reclaim the log o' Wood was fast gaining momentum.

 

From the re-start, the visitors then poured on to attack and went close to crossing again. But, as they had been all game, the Lions were equal to the task in their close-quarter defence and saved the day.

 

Bowden had a crack with a long-range dropped kick, but his effort sailed wide and Wellington were able to hang on with resilience and spirit until the final hooter.

 

Previously, the Lions had scored their second try four minutes into the second half to take a 13-3 lead, tighthead prop John Schwalger on hand out wide to cross in the corner after a run up the left hand touchline by left wing Hosea Gear off the shoulder of hooker Dane Coles and some slick passing across Auckland's 22-metre line to the last man on the chain, Schwalger.

 

Bowden replied with Auckland's first try in the 51^st minute to close the deficit to 13-8, before Wellington first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili calmly kicked a dropped goal to extend their lead to eight points and ask Auckland to score twice to win.

 

They couldn't and Wellington held on for a hard-earned win.

 

The Lions had led 8-3 at halftime at the end of a tense first 40 minutes that yielded just one try, to left wing Hosea Gear, and a try to Fili that wasn't awarded.

 

Early territorial pressure was soon rewarded through Gear's try,  the All Black flying in to score in the left hand corner off the third phase of a movement started from an attacking lineout on the same side of the field.

 

From the set-piece, the Lions swung the ball wide and then back again courtesy of a Fili kick-pass across the face of Auckland's 22 to blindside flanker Mark Reddish. In his ANZC starting debut, Reddish shovelled the ball on to Gear in the tackle who scorched up the sideline to create a 5-0 lead.

 

Auckland first five-eighth Ash Moeke and Fili then traded penalties and the Lions led 8-3 after 15 minutes, the only other points of the half.

 

However there were anxious moments towards the end of the first spell when Fili had appeared to have score a try when he kicked ahead a spilt Auckland ball and claimed a five-pointer.

 

But referee Chris Pollock and his assistant referees were all unsighted and were unable to concur and the Lions' hopes of extending their advantage were dashed.

 

As well as the Ranfurly Shield, the Lions successfully defended the Fred Lucas Cup in this match. Aucklander Lucas played 41 matches including seven Tests for the All Blacks between 1923-1930, was a North Island selector from 1939-46, All Black selector in 1945-46 and was a foundation member of the New Zealand Barbarians club.

 

This was a record 38th NPC/ANZC match against Auckland - one more than it has played against Canterbury.

 

Wellington has now  won 14  and Auckland 24. Nineteen of these results have now been  decided by margins of victory of 10 points or fewer.

 

This was Wellington and Auckland's 25^th clash involving the Ranfurly Shield since these two provinces met for the first ever RS challenge match in 1904 (won 6-3 by Wellington).

 

This was Wellington's 96^th match involving the Ranfurly Shield and Auckland's 191^st, with Wellington sitting on 50  wins, 41 defeats and five draws in all RS matches so far.

 

 

Scores:

Vodafone Wellington Lions 16 (Hosea Gear, John Schwalger tries; Fa'atonu Fili pen, dropped goal)

Auckland 15 (Daniel Bowden, Taniela Moa tries; Ash Moeke pen, Bowden con).

Halftime: 8-3.

 

Crowd: 13,466

 

Curtain-raiser result: Wellington College 27 - Palmerston North Boys' High School 15

 

 

The run of play (by minute):

 

6^th:Hosea Gear try                                Wellington 5-0

13^th: Ash Moeke penalty                      Wellington 5-3

15^th: Fa'atonu Fili penalty                    Wellington 8-3

44^th: John Schwalger try                      Wellington 13-3

51^st: Daniel Bowden try                        Wellington 13-8

63^rd: Fa'atonu Fili dropped goal          Wellington 16-8

70^th: Taniela Moa try                              Wellington 16-13

70^th: Daniel Bowden conversion          Wellington 16-15

 

 

 

Wellington's Ranfurly Shield tenures (defences):

 

1914, 1919-1920                        15

2008-2009                                     5

1953                                               5

1981-1982                                    5

1904-1905                                    4

1956-1957                                    4

 

 

 

The Vodafone Wellington Lions team was:

 

1. Jacob Ellison (c)

2. Ged Robinson

3. John Schwalger

4. Jeremy Thrush

5. Daniel Ramsay

6. Mark Reddish

7. Serge Lilo

8. Victor Vito

9. Alby Mathewson

10. Fa'atonu Fili

11. Hosea Gear

12. Charlie Ngatai

13. Robert Fruean

14. David Smith

15. Buxton Popoalii

 

Reserves:

 

16. Ged Robinson

17. Neemia Tialata

18. Mathew Luamanu 

19. Scott Fuglistaller

20. Ruki Tipuna

21. Daniel Kirkpatrick

22. Alapati Leuia