Lote the buccaneer

Tuqiri and Tahu help Pirates to the booty
Rupert Guinness | May 31, 2009

WALLABIES stars Lote Tuqiri and Timana Tahu fought through a wave of early opposition pressure in their comeback to club rugby with West Harbour to combine and produce a decisive second-half try that helped the Pirates to clinch their sixth win in a row yesterday.

In wet, windy and cold weather that saw the game at Forshaw Park end under floodlights, West Harbour beat their brave and determined Southern Districts hosts 32-27.

The game was tight until West Harbour pulled away in the last 15 minutes to win with the last two of five tries.

The Pirates drew level to 22-22 at the 65th minute when No.9 Steve Massey, whose boot was on song all day, kicked a penalty goal. But then began the Tahu and Tuqiri show.

The Wallabies duo, who started at outside-centre and at fullback respectively, clinched a vital five-pointer with Tahu passing to Tuqiri in the tackle several metres out from the line.

Tuqiri, in his florescent red boots that drew heckles from the crowd, went over to score.

Massey's conversion at the 69th minute put the Pirates back in the lead to be 27-22 up.

Southern Districts responded well and inside-centre Josh Tatupu scored in the 75th minute. While his try was not converted, it left them on the verge of an upset with the score locked at 27-27.

In atrocious conditions that could have seen the game lost by either side by an error, it was a tribute to the afternoon spectacle that it came via a try. The home crowd may not have cheered the try by Pirates winger John Sinisa that put them up 32-27 right on full-time, but all left cheering the standard of game they had seen.

Tuqiri, who had switched to the wing by the time he scored his try, was as happy as anyone. He revelled in singing the club song out in the middle of the field afterwards.

"They made me run. They kicked short. I thought they would kick deep," Tuqiri said after the game.

"It brings out the passion, playing club footy. I certainly played to try and help them win. Every game I have with them we have won.

"I didn't want to let the boys down here. They probably expected a fair amount of good play. I didn't want to come here and take over. We spoke about that [before]. I don't think we did that. We just applied ourselves when we had to. Lucky we came away with a win."

Tuqiri and Tahu both said they did not notice Wallabies coach Robbie Deans on the grassy knoll behind the goal posts. National selection was not on their minds.

Tuqiri said the first half in which the Pirates spent most of the time in Southern Districts' territory was marred by too many errors, but as the game wore on cohesion improved. "It was a great time. I'm glad I played," he said.