Remembering the season of 2014

Will Johnston

With another chance to lift the national provincial championship on Saturday, Taranaki rugby fans will remember the first time the side became the champions of New Zealand Rugby.

It was in 2014, where a packed-out Yarrow Stadium watched Taranaki beat Tasman 36-32 – a scoreline that was narrowed with a last minute try to the visitors.

Taranaki was the first province outside the ‘big five’ to win the competition since finals were introduced in 1992.

The amber and blacks’ performance during that season including being the table toppers after the regular season with seven wins, 31 tries and a competition leading seven four-try bonus points. Losses came against Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury that year with a draw in the opening round of the season. Big wins were against Bay of Plenty and Southland. 

Taranaki could have easily lost to Tasman as well, but with a last-minute conversion from the sideline off the boot of Marty McKenzie sealed the victory, after a Waisake Naholo try.

The success came after the side finished sixth the year before with just three wins and 14 tries from 10 matches.

It was feared Taranaki played their final in the play-off match against Auckland the week before, with a 49-30 extra-time win after it was locked up at 30-all. A captivating final 20minutes kept fans on their feet. The crowd was deafening, despite it being smaller than the week before when Canterbury pipped Taranaki in the last round of the regular season.

The final was highlighted by the kicking of Codey Rei, who slotted five penalties and three conversions in an impeccable display on a still and warm evening.

The midfield paring of Seta Tamanivalu and Charlie Ngatai – who scored two tries in the final – were dangerous all season, especially on that night. They powered through the defence with Ngatai showing excellent awareness to score his two tries.  

Taranaki got out to a 30-13 lead with 25 minutes to play and survived a late onslaught from Tasman. 

And who could forget the flood of supporters who stormed the field after the match, swinging on the posts and running around with corner flags, despite the disgust of union officials and security staff.

The final embraced the community and that has been achieved again with it being the talk of smoko rooms and bar leaners around the province.

The team this weekend is a lot different compared to the side that ran out nine years ago. Not one player from that day is left, and then-coach Colin Cooper was criticised for buying imports - only a handful played club rugby locally. Who complained after they won?

Now, coach Neil Barnes has selected a team known to the community. Only two players in the starting XV haven’t played club rugby in recent years, lock Tom Franklin and fullback Stephen Perofeta. The rest are familiar faces from their clubs and how proud they will be of them.

Taranaki are favourites, according to the bookies, to lift the first division trophy again for just the second time. But Hawke's Bay, in its first final, will be up for the challenge.