Tries: A Naikantini, D Coles,
P Weepu, T Waldrom
Cons: P Weepu (2)
Pens: P Weepu (2)

Night of Shame!

The headline in the Herald was "Hard Luck", but in reality it was nothing short of an absolute disgrace. It should have read "We Suck" and at least then we could provide a sharp dose of reality into a camp which must be reeling backwards in all directions.

We started promisingly but the handling mistakes, aimless kicking and handling errors (from both sides) reduced this fixture to a spectacle worth avoiding when replayed on the Rugby Channel. Something is seriously wrong in Harbour and it was to be painfully illustrated by a merciless display of self-destruction.

Harbour began with some real vigour with a try to the flying Nafi Tuativake after a fortunate bounce from a solid Mike Harris, Gopperth converted and Weepu matched this with a well-taken penalty in the 21st minute.

The Lions strung a few phases together and unleashed traitor, Hosea "Judas" Gear on the left hand flank who was dragged to ground. With the Harbour defence in tatters (not for the first time) it was simply a formality for rangy lock, Api Naikantini, to canter through untouched to score next to the post. Wellington moved forward to a 10-7 lead but it was not to last with tries to Nafi and an opportunist 5 pointer to Waqaseduadua, saw sound reward for a scrappy game, littered with indecision and poor play.

Halftime score 24-10.

The Lions scored early on in the piece but with a penalty to our captain it was our match to lose. This was promptly delivered faster than you can say "stop kicking away all the possession and play it simple you tossers". There was an air of inevitability about it all and those present and at home on their designer chez-lounge, knew our "goose was not only cooked but served with lashings of caviar and saffron sauce".

Weepu and Waldrom scored late on to seal our fate and drive the stake into our collective hearts. We were left dazed like lost English tourists marooned in the Australian outback, waiting for the next redneck to come through and steal the last of the water.

The general consensus by most who have watched Harbour over the last two seasons, is that we knew it was all over well before the late try to a rampaging loose forward. I suppose this is the most disappointing fact of a night worth forgetting, I got the feeling that this game was the "season-defining" moment and if this is the case we have a real uphill battle to salvage any self-respect for our beloved Union.

Harbour has a lot of work to do before the next game at the Mount, a place which hasn't exactly been the happiest of hunting-grounds. My only advice is to keep it as simple as possible and build sustained pressure through patience and a better forward platform. Easier said than done but we are regressing as an organisation and need to prove that we are worthy of being a part of the new NPC soon to be presented before a skeptical NZ rugby public.

Fulltime score 27-30.