Blair scores 24 points as Canterbury retain Shield

CANTERBURY 32 TARANAKI 27

Fullback Ben Blair hauled in 24 points as Canterbury retained the rugby's Ranfurly Shield with a 32-27 win over Taranaki at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, tonight (Saturday).

The fate of the match was sealed only in the last five minutes when All Blacks' World Cup squad member Blair sliced through the defence to score Canterbury's second try.

Until then both teams were desperately hunting for the winner after Taranaki first five-eighth Mark Urwin had narrowed Canterbury's lead to 25-24 after kicking a booming drop-goal.

His Canterbury counterpart Andrew Mehrtens tried unsuccessfully to steer his team to safety with two long-distance drop-goals as Taranaki kept coming back with their big players driving hard.

But the shield challengers lost the ball and Canterbury hit back swiftly, with Blair turning out of a tackle to score before adding a second conversion to his five penalty goals.

Taranaki did not leave empty handed for their gallant effort.

They earned a bonus point in the NPC for finishing within seven points.

Both teams scored two tries each, with winger Caleb Ralph crossing for Canterbury's first and winger Shayne Austin and centre Matt Harvey scoring Taranaki's.

Fullback Daryl Lilley kicked four penalties and a conversion for 14 points for Taranaki.

Taranaki underscored their intention to win the shield again, after upsetting Auckland in 1996 to hold on to the coveted prize for two challenges, by scoring the game's first try in the 12th minute.

Austin intercepted a Canterbury attack and raced more than half the length of the field to put his team in front 5-0.

Like Canterbury's Blair, who missed his first attempt at goal in the third minute, Lilley's first kick -- a conversion attempt -- was off target.

First five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens showed his class by featuring twice in a swift backline movement that saw winger Ralph dot down Canterbury's first try in the 20th minute.

Blair added the conversion to his 15th minute penalty to allow his team a 10-5 lead.

Territorial advantages changed almost each time a team got hold of the ball and that was underscored by the three penalty-goal attempts each team had by halftime. Blair succeeded with two and Mehrtens missed a long-distance one, while Lilley nailed all three to close the gap to 16-14 before teams switched sides.

Austin stunned the crowd when he intercepted another Canterbury pass just before halftime and raced 30m before kicking ahead. But the cover defence beat him to the ball over the line.

Though Blair had the shield defenders further ahead with a penalty goal two minutes after halftime, Harvey's powerful burst through the middle for a try, converted by Lilley, swung the lead Taranaki's way, 21-19.

But it didn't last long when Mehrtens kicked a booming penalty from 44m and at an angle. Blair added another one before Urwin gave Taranaki fans much hope with a magnificent drop-goal from well behind the 40m line in the 70th minute.

As both teams sought the winner, it was Canterbury's outstanding defence that prevailed.

They grounded the big Taranaki forwards with a safety-first approach and turned the ball over to enable Blair seal their victory.

Taranaki coach Kieran Crowley hailed his side's spirit but said in the end Taranaki were not good enough.

"Canterbury are not going to give it (the Ranfurly Shield) up easily. They showed that tonight, and on the day, we came up short."

"But I'm proud of our boys. They gave it everything.. .and I can't ask for anything more than that."

Canterbury coach Aussie McLean said sheer defensive grit kept the Ranfurly Shield from Taranaki's clutches.

McLean was convinced the game was won on defence.

"When you work moves and score tries, you're always proud of those, but I'm probably prouder of our defence," he said.

"At the start of the year we struggled a little bit defensively against North Otago, but we've gradually built that, and hopefully we can carry it on from here, because I believe it was a special effort tonight."

- NZPA