Counties Manukau a tough adversary for Wellington Lions

Above: Left wing Hosea Gear scored a hat-trick of tries against Counties Manukau in 2008. Photo: Dave Lintott Photography

The Wellington Lions and the Counties Manukau Steelers meet on Friday night for the inaugural Jonah Lomu Memrial Trophy. The two sides have many monumental battles in the past.

Wellington and Counties (Counties-Manukau since 1996) met for the first time in a representative match at Athletic Park in the inaugural National Provincial Championship competition in 1976. Wellington won 15-4 that day, but it was not a result that was going to be replicated too often over the next decade of matches between the two sides. In fact, Counties proved a nemesis for Wellington sides up until the mid-1980s, winning six and drawing one out of their next eight matches until Wellington broke the shackles and defeated them 43-19 in 1985.

1978: A rare win for Wellington in winning season

Wellington's only other win against Counties in the first ten seasons of the NPC was in 1978, prevailing 19-15, which was also the year that they won the first of their four titles. Counties finished second to Wellington that year, so the win was effectively the title decider, as play-offs were not introduced until 1992.

The points system at the time awarded just two points for a win and no bonus points, and in an era of no play-offs, a tied points table was decided on who beat who. Additionally there wasn't as much continuity to the season as there is today with match scheduling. Back in 1978 Manawatu had played six of their championship matches before Canterbury had even played one.

Wellington and Counties met on Queen's Birthday weekend in 1978 in front of 10,000 people at Pukekohe. The Wellington side featured ten of the players in the team that had slumped to a 43-9 loss to Counties the previous year. Counties fielded one of the best teams in New Zealand provincial rugby at the time and played with the same attacking mindset as the Ian Upston-coached Lions side. Their team featured such players as All Black captain and hooker Andy Dalton, All Blacks centre Bruce Robertson and several veterans such as utility back Bob Lendrum and No. 8 Alan Dawson

It was a day of celebration for Wellington, however, as they came back from a 15-12 halftime deficit to win, with first five-eighth Brian Cederwall kicking an equalising penalty early in the second half and fullback Allan Hewson re-gathering his own chip kick in the 52nd minute to score what proved to be the match winner.

Wellington went on later in the season to beat Canterbury 29-7 at home and then finally Hawke's Bay 18-10 in Napier to clinch the title.

1979: Counties comeback earns win and championship title

In 1979, the roles of Wellington and Counties ending up as NPC winners, on 18 competition points and just two points clear of Wellington and Auckland who shared second place on 16 points.

Wellington and Counties had been the best two teams in the country the previous year, but this meeting at Athletic Park was somewhat strangely scheduled as the very first game of the season, again on Queen's Birthday weekend. Playing with the wind, Wellington went out to an 11-0 lead, before Counties came back to win 20-15 and this time it was Wellington who finished runners-up despite winning seven of their next eight games.

Two other memorable meetings against Counties Manukau - from the perspective of Wellington Lions fans - were their matches in Wellington in 2001 and in 2008.

2001: Jonah Lomu bags a double in 47-0 win

Though not as dire as the team's current fortunes, the defending champions Lions were out of form in 2001 when they lined up against the Steelers.

The team had recently lost matches to Waikato (18-32) and Southland at home (10-13), but the return of centre Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu from the All Blacks provided a boost.

Umaga was taking over the captaincy for the first time, from an injured Norm Hewitt, and led by example on both attack and defence.

Lomu scored two tries, one in each half. The second came after replacement flanker Rodney So'oialo stole the ball from a Counties Manukau maul and the backs moved the ball through to fullback Christian Cullen and on to Lomu who rumbled up the sideline to score.

Wellington's other try scorers were Cullen, Lome Fa'atau, Paul Steinmetz and Riki Flutey, while first five-eighth David Howell kicked six from seven shots on goal.

2008: Hosea Gear stars in record victory

The Lions won their match 64-7 in 2008, which featured a hat-trick of tries from left wing Hosea Gear, who ran amok in this game and throughout the season.

Gear scored two tries in the first half and one in the second as the Lions roared into life and raced to a 28-0 lead after 24 minutes, securing their four-try bonus point in the process.

This win was also the highest against Counties Manukau, surpassing the 47-0 victory against them the only other time they have met at Westpac Stadium in 2001.

Joining Gear in the try scoring circle were flankers Serge Lilo and Victor Vito, lock and captain Jeremy Thrush, second five-eighth Michael Hobbs, halfback Alby Mathewson and his replacement Tomasi Palu.

First five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili also had an outstanding Lions debut, kicking nine from ten attempts on goal from all angles for a personal haul of 19 points.