Capital in a canter

Wellington centre Conrad Smith scores against Canterbury last night. Marty Melville / Getty Images

Wellington 36 Canterbury 23

Two Jerry Collins tries in the space of six minutes early in the second half did the damage on the scoreboard, but the platform for victory was laid before then.

Wellington overcame an average start, and absorbed a measure of Canterbury pressure, before reasserting themselves leading up to halftime at Westpac Stadium last night.

The territory and possession count swung significantly Wellington's way, and stayed there until the end.

Wellington were 17-9 up at the break, the job was half done, and they had one foot in the door for an Air New Zealand Cup semifinal.

Collins' double in the 49th and 55th minutes - one capping off an outstanding sustained collective 16-phase charge, the other busting through a tackle near the Canterbury line - effectively wrapped it up.

There was a touch of unintended symbolism between Collins' tries, with All Black captain Richie McCaw, in his first game for a month, wandering off, apparently uninjured.

The battle, despite a couple of late tries from replacement Michael Paterson and Dan Carter, was as good as over.

Wellington struggle to shrug off the tag of flakes: dazzling one week, ordinary the next.

With Ma'a Nonu busting tackles all round the park, Conrad Smith adding the guile, and Collins, Luke Andrews and Neemia Tialata leading a powerful forward display Wellington showed their best qualities.

It was as if, from round the 20min mark, they realised Canterbury weren't at their best, and in terrier-like fashion, Wellington grabbed the initiative and didn't let it go.

There was plenty of grunt and graft allied to their ever-present desire to give the ball plenty of air.

Canterbury looked tired and gradually fell apart. Tackles were missed and Wellington simply had greater desire in the 50-50 situations.

So Canterbury reach for the togs and sun block; Wellington wait until tonight to see if they head for Hamilton and Waikato next weekend, or host Southland.

With a sliver of luck Wellington could have been further than eight points clear at the interval.

Right on the break, lock Ross Filipo plunged the ball over the Canterbury line in a big left paw by the corner flag.

The TV official, after a long look, ruled it out. It was desperately tight.

It was a rousing half, in which Carter had given Canterbury the early edge with a couple of penalties.

Andrew Ellis and Paul Williams had made decent ground-eating runs for Canterbury and lock Kevin O'Neill had grounded the ball a couple of centimetres shy of the Wellington line.

The red and black defence was sound enough, but that changed as Wellington gradually pulled themselves into the contest.

Tialata got their first try in the 22nd minute, ending a strong period of pressure during which Nonu and Rodney So'oialo had dabs near the Canterbury line.

When beefy Tialata barrelled towards the line from 3m, Williams and Ellis were no match for the bull-like tighthead.

Halfback Piri Weepu almost handed the initiative straight back with a no-look pass slung to no one from the restart.

Had it been just about anyone except tighthead Campbell Johnstone who reached for the interception it would probably have been a seven-pointer.

Jimmy Gopperth increased the lead with a smart dropped goal - from a nothing-on situation, he swivelled, eyed the posts and let fly from 26m. Smith ended another impressive piece of teamwork scoring by the posts after cutting-edge play from Gopperth, who doubled round Tana Umaga.

Smith's progress after his long injury layoff is coming along impressively.

"We believe we played our best rugby this year," Wellington captain Umaga said afterwards. "We're happy to be alive for another week."

The team had set a standard for themselves for the rest of this championship.

Collins labelled it "a great time of the year to be playing. This [finals football] is why you play".

Wellington 36: J. Collins 2, N. Tialata, C. Smith, M. Schwalger tries; J. Gopperth 4 con, dropped goal
Canterbury 23: M. Paterson, D. Carter tries; Carter 3 pen, 2 con.
HT: 17-9