Tasman secured a comfortable 46-17 victory over Southland in their NPC fixture on Saturday. The hosts controlled the tempo and turned that dominance into points on the board. It was a result that reflected the disparity in current form between the sides.
To be fair, Southland looked uncomfortable from the opening whistle. They struggled to break Tasman's line and offered little threat in return. By then, the deficit was growing too large to chase. The home side kept knocking on the door and eventually broke through.
And here's the thing regarding the visitors' recent run. They have lost 4 of their last 5 outings, including a narrow defeat to Waikato. They arrived in poor spirits and played accordingly.
Tasman's results had been volatile before this round. A 50-point win against Counties Manukau showed their potential, while a loss to Hawke's Bay reminded everyone of their fragility. A victory over North Harbour in July contrasted with a heavy defeat to Bay of Plenty in October. They switched off at the back in previous outings but held their nerve here. This performance suggested they had finally clicked.
The scoreline tells the story of a team finding its feet. Southland will need to regroup quickly if they want to avoid further setbacks. The visitors must address their defensive issues before the next round.