Counties Manukau claim Ranfurly Shield from Northland in huge upset

Counties Manukau have caused a major upset, claiming the Ranfurly Shield from Northland with a 22-19 win in Whangārei.AJ Alatimu kicked a penalty goal with just under two minutes to go, to give Counties the lead for the first time in the match and they then held out a tenacious Taniwha side.It appeared the shield would be safe in the Far North for the summer when Northland's scrum dominance saw them take a 19-12 inside the final 20 minutes.But Counties hit back, with fullback Adam Morrison scoring in the corner and AJ Alatimu levelling up the scores with a brilliant conversion.They then secured a vital penalty decision with the clock almost up and Alatimu coolly slotted it despite the boos from the home crowd.It is the second time Counties Manukau have won the shield, beating Hawke's Bay in 2013 and holding it for six defences.Northland had won the shield from Canterbury in August, and defended it successfully against Tasman and Waikato before going down today.See how the action unfolded in the blog below:Embedded content removed for printing