Bay of Plenty had an unlikely hero as they resurrected their season with a compressive 41-13 win over Manawatu in difficult conditions at Baypark Stadium, Mt Maunganui, on Thursday night.
Props do not get tries very often, so it can as a real surprise when tighthead Tristan Moran claimed a brace to help BOP to a 20-6 half time lead.
Manawatu caused a major boil-over when they beat Wellington last week, but their forwards were out thought and out muscled.
Moran's effort epitomising the dominant display that never let up as the Bay dotted down three times in each half for a bonus-point victory, an impressive feat given the shambolic wet state of the ground.
They will be feeling confident with their next two games at home.
Mike Delany kept his footing in the wet and heavy conditions to open the scoring with an impressive 50m strike for the home side.
Delany's opposite Isaac Thompson drew level soon after.
Enjoying field position, BOP worked the fringes with a quality pick and drive, phase after phase up the middle saw prop Moran crash over for the first try. Delany was astray.
Moran then had two in two minutes, this time off the back of a unstoppable rolling maul. The Bay's old-school rugby paid dividends, but again Delany failed to convert.
Thompson brought the visitors within a striking distance, 6-13, with his second three-pointer eight minutes from the break.
But Delany wrestled back the ascendancy with some heady wet-weather play. He stabbed a nudge in behind the Manawatu defence which centre Cory Aporo swooped upon while showing classy hands to score. Delany slotted the extras to give his side a 20-6 lead at half time.
It didn't take long for the Bay to hit their straps after the break as Aporo made a bust, beating three defenders which led to a bonus-point-try for Lelia Masaga. No.8 Colin Bourke converted to stretch 27-6 infront.
And when BOP lock Cullum Retallick rumbled over in much the same fashion as Moran's brace, and Delany converted, the game was well and truly gone for Manawatu.
Replacement Manawatu No.8 Bertus Mulder got one back off the back of a scrum five-metres out. Fullback Craig Clare added the two.
BOP midfielder Daniel Waenga made a break and his pop pass gifted Grant McQuoid a try. Waenga knocked it over to seal the deal.
Scorers:
Bay of Plenty 41
Tries: Moran 2, Aporo, Masaga, Retallick, McQuoid
Con: Delany 2, Bourke
Pen: Delany
Manawatu 13
Tries: Mulder
Con: Clare
Pen: Thompson 2
HT: 20-6