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Manawatū 16 Wellington 36
Manawatu - Niuia try; Cameron 3 penalties & conversion
Wellington - Umaga-Jensen, O'Reilly, Fidow, Love & Kirifi tries; Love 4 conversions & penalty
Fulltime
Back-to-back wins have catapulted Wellington back into NPC premiership contention, after a 36-16 victory over Manawatū at Palmerston North.
After two early tries, the Lions were lulled into plenty of mistakes and led only 12-6 at halftime.
When hooker Ray Niuia scored soon after the restart and first-five Brett Cameron converted, the Turbos found themselves ahead, but that momentum swing was short-lived, as the visitors responded with three tries to run away with the contest.
First-five Ruben Love had one of those tries, along with four conversions and a penalty to spearhead the comeback.
After four straight losses, Wellington have now won two in a row to rekindle their competition hopes - they moved past Tasman and Waikato into second on the table, behind the rampant Hawke's Bay outfit.
Manawatū saw their own three-game run ended, but still sit second on the championship ladder, behind Taranaki.
Second half
40th minute - Manawatu pack down a scrum in midfield, as the final siren sounds. Culver dashes into the 22 and Iose carries it on. Hogan has the Wellington defence for offside and Cruden kicks to the corner.
The Turbos win the lineout and rumble towards the line - they're playing under advantage and Hogan brings play back.
Another lineout and another drive, but Kirifi has killed the maul. The forwards come together to share their philosophies on life, as Hogan calls fulltime.
37th minute - TRY to Love
Love makes halfway and Wellington pour into the Manawatu half. Savea floats a pass to Love on the left touchline, and he chips ahead and gathers to score.
Love slots his sideline conversion, WEL 36-16
36th minute - Mitchell wins the lineout, but another pass goes astray.
35th minute - Turbos win a penalty at the scrum and Cruden kicks to touch for a lineout on the Wellington 10.
34th minute - Manawatu win a turnover, holding Wellington up in the tackle. Cameron leaves the game, replaced by Cruden.
33rd minute - Garden-Bachop kicks along the ground and NMS counterattacks, but the move breaks down when Howden tries a no-look pass inside.
31st minute - Off the lineout, Iose makes another buising run, bumping off a tackler, but the move breaks down.
30th minute - Turbos try to break from their own line and Iose makes the 22. Cameron kicks ahead and Hogan comes back for a penalty against Wellington.
28th minute - Wellington win the lineout and Umaga-Jensen runs off the back. Kirifi knocks on to end the attack, but the Turbos are only 10m out from their line.
27th minute - Wellington build some phases and win a penalty at the breakdown. Love looks to the sideline.
26th minute - From the scrum, Emery makes halfway, but Wellington hold Adams up in a maul for a turnover.
24th minute - Jackson Garden-Bachop is on the field, after an injury during Super Rugby. He takes a long kick and counterattacks, but Plumtree's desperation pass to Kirifi bobbles forward.
22nd minute - Manawatu try to break out of their half, but the Lions defence is up quickly. Eventually, Cameron kicks towards the Wellington 22.
20th minute - Bird wins the lineout and Iose is penalised in midfield. Love lines up the kick at goal from 40m out and grabs three points back, WEL 29-16
19th minute - Wellington win a scrum penalty and Love finds touch on the Manawatu 10.
16th minute - Mitchell grabs the kickoff and Manawatu rumble to halfway.
15th minute - Wellington are penalised at the lineout and Maile charges into the 22. Cameron kicks to the goal area, but they're playing advantage again.
Cameron slots the goal from in front, WEL 26-16
14th minute - Manawatu attack down the left and Emery creates some room, but Wellington are penalised for a high tackle. Cameron kicks to the 22.
11th minute - TRY to Fidow
Bird wins the lineout again, but Turbos bring the maul down. Plumtree lunges and Fidow eventually has the try.
Love converts, WEL 26-13
Ninth minute - Love kicks long and NMS brings the ball back over halfway. When the attack breaks down, Plumtree snaps up the ball and gallops 60m upfield, before he's brought down high.
Love kicks to the corner for another lineout drive.
Seventh minute - TRY to O'Reilly
Wellington feed a scrum in Manawatu's half, but their attack breaks down and Turbos are whistled for offside. Love kicks to the corner.
Bird wins the lineout and the fowards drive to the line. O'Reilly has the hooker's ride.
Fourth minute - Love kicks off and Wellington receive the ball back.
Second minute - TRY to Niuia
Cameron dashes into the 22 and stays on his feet. As the ball goes left, Wellington is penalised and Cameron kicks to the corner, a clear signal of intent.
Howden wins the lineout and the forwards maul over the line, with the hooker at the back to score.
First minute - Cameron kicks off for Manawatu and Love's clearances gives the Turbos an attacking lineout.
First half
40th minute - The Lions have one last chance before halfway, but Savea's pass to Goosen floats forward. Manawatu have a scrum, as the halftime siren sounds.
Big scrum from Wellington, but Henry has the ball and hoofs to touch.
39th minute - NMS takes on the defence and is tackled on halfway. He makes another run, but Iose spills the ball and Wellington have a penalty.
38th minute - Another knock-on by Wellington, who have squandered so many opportunities in this first half.
36th minute - Love kicks long, Filimone runs the ball back, but it's lost in the tackle.
35th minute - Cameron finds touch on the 22 and win the lineout. Kirifi cuts Ioase down in midfield, but Howden carries the ball into the 22. Numia steals the ball at the breakdown and Wellington break out.
34th minute - From the lineout, Wellington break down the right, but their attack breaks down and when the Turbos counterattack, Kirifi makes a late tackle. Referee Hogan checks for more and warns the captains to keep cool heads.
33rd minute - From the scrum, NMS chips behind the defence and finds touch on the 22.
32nd minute - Love kicks to the goal-line, but it carries too far and Manawatu have a scrum on halfway.
31st minute - Manawatu controls the kickoff and Henry puts up a high kick. Morgan takes the ball and a tackle at the same time.
30th minute - Cameron slots the penalty, WEL 12-6
29th minute - From the scrum, Manawatu make ground down the right and earn a midfield penalty. Cameron lines up a shot at goal...
28th minute - Wellington win a scrum on halfway, but Judd tries to find Whiteman running a hard line and throws the ball forward.
26th minute - Love kicks again and Cameron takes it on his fingertips. The Manwatu forwards charge over halfway.
25th minute - Love puts a high kick to midfield, but the ball goes nowhere. Wellington retain possession and Fidow charges away from the ruck.
24th minute - Turbos can't control their throw to the lineout and squander another attacking chance.
22nd minute - Turbos win a turnover and Emery hacks upfield. Manawatu win a penalty.
20th minute - Cameron rushes forward to take a long lineout throw, but the Turbos knock on again and just can't get anything going tonight.
19th minute - Turbos are on the 22, but they're penalised at the breakdown, with Kirifi over the ball.
18th minute - From the Wellington scrum, Henry makes a big tackle and Manawatu earns a penalty, which Cameron kicks to touch.
15th minute - Cameron clears to the Turbos 10 and they win the lineout, but Milner-Skudder's pass is behind his winger.
14th minute - Wellington overpower the Manawatu scrum and Iose is bustled off the ball at the back. The Lions are inside the Turbos 22, but Plumetree can't take Love's short pass.
13th minute - Umaga-Jensen makes another telling run and offloads to Morgan on his left shoulder, but the pass to Judd goes loose.
12th minute - Another bad error at kickoff, with a man called ahead of Cameron. Wellington have another attacking scrum on halfway.
10th minute - TRY to Kirifi
Plumtree wins the lineout and the Wellington forwards simply roll to the line, with the captain at the back to score. Love hooks his conversion, WEL 12-7
Ninth minute - Another big run from Savea and Judd carries it on, but the ball spills forward. Manawatu are pinged for an early tackle and Love kicks to the corner.
Eighth minute - Wellington clear their scrum on halfway and launch and attack down the right, with Julian Savea prominent.
Seventh minute - Turbos win a lineout and Iose charges forward. They clear and win a penalty on halfway, but Henry tries to take a quick tap and knocks on.
Fifth minute - Cameron slots a penalty from 40m out, WEL 7-3
Fourth minute - Milner-Skudder takes a high ball on halfway to spark an attack, Iose makes a bruising run and the Turbos have a penalty in midfield.
Second minute - Wellington launch from a scrum on the 22, with front-rowers Fidow and Numia denting the line, and Umaga-Jensen running off the latter to score. Love converts, great start for the visitors, WEL 7-0
First minute - Nick Hogan will be referee tonight. Ruben Love kicks off for Wellington and Turbos immediately knock on.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NPC premiership clash between Manawatū and Wellington at New Plymouth.
The Turbos come into this derby in a rich vein of form, with a four win one loss record to sit second in the championship table behind the undefeated Taranaki side.
Manawatū have had the luxury of having All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith for this campaign, but he is missing from Saturday's encounter and last week's victory against Southland.
The Lions come into this contest after a nerve-wrenching golden-point victory over Canterbury last time out.
The Lions sit fifth in the premiership points table with two wins and four loses but looking closer at their record shows that their four loses have all been by six points or less.
This is a crucial fixture for Wellington in their hopes of making the semi-finals as they have two 'non-competitive' matches coming up before finishing the season against Tasman.
TAB Odds: Manawatū $2.70, Wellington $1.42
Manawatu: 1-Harrison Allan, 2-Ray Niua, 3-Ropate Rinakama, 4-Micaiah Torrance-Read, 5-Liam Mitchell, 6-TK Howden, 7-Shamus Hurley-Langton, 8-Brayden Iose (cc), 9-Logan Henry, 10-Brett Cameron, 11-Taniela Filimone, 12-Jason Emery (cc), 13-Josiah Maraku, 14-Tima Fainga'anuku, 15-Nehe Milner-Skudder.
Reserves: 16-Siua Maile, 17-Jarred Adams, 18-Flyn Yates, 19-Ofa Tauatevalu, 20-Johnny Galloway, 21-Griffin Culver, 22-Stewart Cruden, 23-Drew Wild.
Wellington: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-James O'Reilly, 3-Alex Fidow, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Dominic Bird, 6-Taine Plumtree, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi (c), 8-Keelan Whiteman, 9-Richard Judd, 10-Ruben Love, 11-Wes Goosen, 12-Peter Umaga-Jensen, 13-Julian Savea, 14-Pepesana Patafilo, 15-Aidan Morgan.
Reserves: 16-Tyrone Thompson, 17-Vince Sakaria, 18-Pekahou Cowan, 19-Josh Toomaga, 20-Sam Smith, 21-Connor Collins, 22-Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23-Tomasi Alosio.
