Taranaki have held off a courageous Counties Manukau side to win their second straight NPC win at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.
First-five Daniel Waite scored 15 points, including a well-taken try to inspire his team to a 25-14 victory over the surging Steelers.
Counties Manukau outscored their opponents 7-5 in the second half, but couldn't overcome a sloppy first 40 minutes.
It took just six minutes for Taranaki to strike in the fixture, with back-rower Kaylum Boshier crashing over for good reward after dominant work from their forwards.
Waite extended their lead with a penalty goal, but Counties Manukau would hit back with a try of their own.
A clever decoy run from an attacking scrum just 10 metres out saw first-five Riley Hohepa go over with a brilliant cut back across field.
But Waite was back in the thick of the action once again, with another penalty goal, before grabbing a try of his own with a smart pick-and-go from the ruck to bulldoze over and give Taranaki the 20-7 lead at halftime.
The hosts wasted little time in the second half to further extend their lead, with winger Kini Naholo catching the Counties defence unaware with a quick-tap to go over for the try.
In what proved a tight tussle dominated by the forwards, the game would only see one more score, but in the way of the visitors.
Counties Manukau showed great passing and patience down the left sideline to send replacement Sam Tuifua over for the try.
But just as it looked Counties could stage a comeback, the Taranaki defence ramped up their efforts and closed out the victory.
Taranaki 25 (Boshier, Waite, Naholo tries; Waite 2 con, 2 pen)
Counties Manukau 14 ( Hohepa, Tuifua tries; Hohepa 2 con)
