Dusting off the record books, a rare event in recent seasons, Auckland beat Manawatu 59-16 in their ITM Cup game in Auckland on Sunday.
The points scored equalled the most by Auckland against Manawatu, although tries in that record were worth only four points as opposed to five in the modern era.
Auckland unleashed the speed to run in eight tries and it was a cog above anything Manawatu could manage, in attack or defence. Fullback Charles Piutau added oomph in the collisions and then had the toe to capitalise with three well-taken tries.
First five-eighths Gareth Anscombe also relished the chance to run onto the ball with significant results and a 20-point haul before he was subbed with 20 minutes left.
Flanker Steven Luatua was a constant force at the breakdown while new flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua impressed with his constant defensive effort.
Manawatu paid a dear price for penalisable infringements. The first four Auckland tries all came after application of advantage, and the first half of the second try was after the benefit of scrum option after a midfield penalty deep in Auckland's half.
Once penalty goals had been exchanged in the first seven minutes, it was a Manawatu lapse at the re-start in the eighth minute that opened up the chance for some orthodoxy to be applied as Auckland ran the ball down the blindside.
Flanker Steven Luatua was perfectly position for the in-pass, the ruck was set, and the ball moved back to the left with wing George Moala being given the half-metre advocated as the goal of 14 players for the 15th, and he made no mistake getting over in the corner.
Manawatu got a penalty goal back but Auckland put another advantage ruling to use when halfback Karl Bryson was caught offside. The ball was moved via No.8 Peter Saili and it created enough room for first five-eighths Gareth Anscombe to charge through the gap and feed fullback Charles Piutau who raced in handy to the posts.
Four minutes later Anscombe's marker Sevens ace Tomasi Cama made full use of ball won from a penalty lineout. Running onto the ball at speed he sliced through the brittle Auckland defence and found flanker Callum Gibbins perfectly placed for the pop pass to score.
In the 24th minute, a subtle variation saw second five-eighths stationed at first-five in the Auckland 22m area. The ball was flung wide where Anscombe was stationed at centre. He raced into prairie-like spaces and with an advantage applied, Auckland kept the ball moving one side of the field to the other, and finally when Moala was blocked on the left flank his pass found, the man who had started it all, Parkes and he brushed off the remaining defences to score.
On the half-time break Manawatu twice infringed on their own line and Auckland recycled the ball persistently and finally it was flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua, on debut, who was flung over the line by prop Pauliasi Manu for Auckland's bonus point try.
Manawatu opened the second half with a penalty goal but in the 49th minute, Luatua punched a hole out wide and Anscombe rushed up in support, took the pass 45m out and backed his speed to get to the line.
Piutau scored his second when applying instant acceleration to waft through a gap and hare 40m in the 53rd minute after replacement lock Nathan Hughes won ball from a Manawatu breakdown to set the backline away.
It was a tough day for Manawatu. Their mid-field defence was weak while Cama was unable to weave any magic, ceding Sevens influence to Piutau.
Scorers:
Auckland 59 (George Moala 2, Charles Piutau 3, Hadleigh Parkes, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Gareth Anscombe tries; Anscombe 6 con, pen; Simon Hickey 2 con) Manawatu 16 (Callum Gibbins try; Craig Clare con, 3 pen ).HT: 31-13.
