BoP crash back to reality against Canterbury

By DAVID LEGGAT

Canterbury 72 BoP 3

Bay of Plenty were handed a brutal lesson in NPC first-division life in Christchurch last night.

They arrived buoyed by a win over Wellington and a bonus point from Auckland, but crashed to earth against an outstanding Canterbury side defending the Ranfurly Shield for the sixth time.

This was the wake-up call the pessimists had been predicting in each of the Bay's previous two first-division games. It had not materialised as Gordon Tietjens' men played with spirit and skill.

Until last night, that is. Canterbury turned on the blowtorch, scoring 10 tries in showing the gulf that the Bay need to bridge if they are to make a statement in the first division in the next few seasons.

As hard as the Bay strove, as determinedly as they defended, they were simply outclassed by a Canterbury side who reinforced their credentials - even bereft of a clutch of All Blacks - for the NPC title.

This was the Bay's poorest performance so far in the competition, and against a team expert at seizing their opportunities.

That was the key, because the Bay had a reasonable amount of possession, had some good patches, but foundered against a side who made sure they stretched the Bay defence, even from deep in their own half, and ensured they had greater numbers than the visitors at the points on the field where it counted.

The result had been decided by halftime, by which stage Canterbury had run in three tries, punishing Bay errors and displaying strong defence.

BoP began brightly, and had Sam Hala put his head down and bolted for the corner from a Dale Rasmussen break in the opening minutes, it is possible the whole shape of the half could have changed. Instead, he cut inside and the chance was lost.

With the front row of Greg Feek, Matt Sexton and Dave Hewett making a mess of the BoP scrum, the visitors had to work for their openings.

The first of Nathan Mauger's two tries came after Scott Robertson surged through a gap on Canterbury's 22, fed Mauger at halfway and his weaving run was too much for three BoP defenders.

Marika Vunibaka sped over in the right-hand corner after young flanker Richard McCaw had pinched the ball off Glen Jackson at a maul and Ben Blair, Afato So'oalo and McCaw, with an intelligent wide pass, set up Mauger's second.

BoP had their best period up till then in the five minutes before the break, but repeated surges at the Canterbury defence were like waves bouncing off a seawall.

Eventually, BoP settled for a Jackson penalty from close to the posts in the final act of the half, in itself an admission that they had run out of ideas.

Blair slashed through a gap immediately after the restart, and it became a rout from then on.

So'oalo dashed over for three tries - one from dismal defence out wide, and another following up a clever kick ahead - Vunibaka got another, Caleb Ralph sprinted clear from halfway, and replacement Joe Maddock burrowed over after receiving a superb, low pass from Robertson near the BoP line.

Blair finished with a haul of 27 points from booming kicks from various parts of the ground.

It was a dispiriting night for the Bay team, who had a thought for their former team-mate, Joe Tauiwi, who died of cancer this month, with a minute's silence before kickoff.

BoP never gave up, they simply did not have the class to back up their endeavour.

In Damian Karauna they had a threatening runner from the back, and locks Mark Weedon and Jason Chandler toiled hard.

But for the younger players it was a hard lesson from highly skilled tutors.

Canterbury 72 A. So'oalo 3, N. Mauger 2, M. Vunibaka 2, B. Blair, J. Maddock, C. Ralph tries; Blair 2 pen, 8 con)

Bay of Plenty 3 (G. Jackson pen).

Halftime: 25-3.