Mitre 10 Cup: Taranaki beat Counties Manukau with late winner

  • 30/08/2018

Fullback Beaudein Waaka scored 21 points to help Taranaki defeat Counties Manukau 26-19 in their Round Three Mitre 10 Cup clash in Pukekohe on Wednesday night.

Waaka scored two tries and three penalty goals, as the Bulls secured their second win of the season.

It looked like the match was going to finish in a 19-19 draw, when Counties winger Toni Pulu scored a magical individual try in the 74th minute, but Taranaki showed their class, when Waka scored the match-winning try two minutes later.

It's a tough loss to swallow for Counties, who led at halftime 12-8 and remain winless in 2018.

Taranaki led early, thanks to a Lachlan Boshier five-pointer, but Counties hit back as Kalolo Tuiloma and Tevita Nabura scored to give the hosts the lead.

The Bulls then regained the lead with three penalties and a try to Waaka midway through the second half.

Pulu scored six minutes from time to set up a thrilling finish, but Taranaki walked away with the win, when Waaka went over for his second, late in the match.

Both teams are back in action on Sunday, as Taranaki travels to Whangarei to face Northland, while Counties heads south to face Hawke's Bay in Napier.

Newshub.