By BOB PEARCE
Fullback Lusi Sione was the star, but Canterbury turned on an impressive team effort to beat Otahuhu 38-24 in the grand final of the Bartercard Cup at Carlaw Park yesterday.
It was an exciting finale for the inaugural season of league's domestic championship. Otahuhu entered the game as favourites after beating the southerners 51-28 to earn their place in the final.
But they could not dampen the fire of the Canterbury forwards, who always seemed to have three men on hand to make the big tackles. And when Canterbury counter-attacked, they showed inventiveness and individual brilliance which in the end proved decisive.
Sione, surely a costly miss for the Warriors' scouts, had a magical game. He scored two tries, set up three more and still found time to make a crucial tackle when Otahuhu threatened to draw level in the closing stages.
Canterbury made a bad start. First they mishandled a bomb to allow Tyson Marjoribanks to score, and then Chris Mangele added a second after a miraculous pickup.
The southern revival coincided with the arrival from the bench of burly props Robert Henare and Enoka Mamoe. Henare scored Canterbury's first try and Mamoe paved the way for Sione to bemuse the defence for the second.
Halfback Maurice Emslie made it 16-8 and Gafa Tuiloma ran on to a great pass from Sione for 20-8.
Otahuhu produced their own three-try burst after the break to take the lead, 24-20. Hooker Esau Mann scored the first and halfback Hare Te Rangi the others.
Sione provided the inspiration for a Canterbury comeback. He fastened on to a kick to grab the lead back 26-24 and then he stabbed a kick to the corner for Raymond Hubbard to make it 30-24.
Sione grabbed the ball out of a tackle and put Malala Pua'avase over and Hubbard scored his second for the 14-point victory margin.
Rugby League: Sione stars as Bulls put paid to Otahuhu hopes
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