Round 3 is over

There's ten more rounds left in the ITM Cup. But before we get too worked up about where to from here, let's review yesterday's matches. Northland beat Manawatu 77-8 in what is the biggest margin so far in an ITM Cup game for 2010. Northland scored ten tries with Jared Payne responsible for four, Lachie Munro responsible for two, and Dan Pryor, David Holwell, Rhyan Caine, and Mark Burman only scoring one. On the kicking side of things, Lachie Munro got eight conversions and two penalties and David Holwell scored a conversion and a penalty. Manawatu only managed a try by Ma'afu Fia and a penalty by Craig Clare. Both teams went down to fourteen in the 26th minute after post-ruck violence consigned Lachie Munro and Doug Tietjens to the naughty chair. Also to serve time in the bin was Craig Clare in the 51st minute for a dangerous tackle.

Afterwards, Taranaki beat Waikato 33-23. Taranaki took their points from tries by Andre Taylor, Kurt Baker, and Scott Waldrom; also, Willie Ripia scored 3 conversions and 3 penalties, and Beauden Barrett scored a penalty. Waikato's 23 came from tries by Romana Graham and Save Tokula, and two conversions and three penalties by Trent Renata. Liam Messam and Romana Graham were yellow-carded in the 63rd minute.