Tasman claim maiden Mitre 10 Cup title with tense victory over Wellington

Tasman have won the Mitre 10 Cup title for the first time in their 13-year history, downing Wellington in a tight affair at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

The Mako headed into the encounter as favourites after finishing the regular season undefeated, leading them to a semi-final clash against Auckland last week, of which they came away as 18-9 victors.

Wellington, on the other hand, came into the knockout stages as the competition's second-seeded team, and reached the final after dispatching 14-time champions Canterbury 30-19 in Wellington last Saturday.

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As such, the hosts started the match as firm favourites to emerge as champions, and a pair of early penalties to incoming Highlanders playmaker Mitch Hunt did no harm to their chances.

It took his opposite Jackson Garden-Bachop three attempts in the ensuing eight minutes to finally land a successful kick at goal, but a burst through the Lions' defence by electric wing Will Jordan killed any momentum just moments later.

Hunt and Garden-Bachop went on to exchange further eight points from the boot between them, but a 23rd minute try to David Havili following an error from the re-start by Vince Aso extended Tasman's lead by 23-6.

A Garden-Bachop penalty four minutes later was followed by an Alex Fidow try on the half-hour mark, which came after some good continuity from the Wellington forward pack deep inside Mako territory.

That left the half-time score at 23-14 in favour of the hosts, but a penalty to Hunt 10 minutes pushed the buffer out by a further three points.

What followed was a tense period of play which lasted for more than 25 minutes, as both sides struggled for break each other's defence with both side's title hopes on the line.