Northland would have started with a quiet confidence after they upset Wellington 35-5 last weekend, while Canterbury opened the competition with big wins over Premiership rivals Auckland and Waikato.
But once Canterbury halfback Mitchell Drummond scored in the 25th minute, the points began to flow and the home side took a 20-3 advantage to the halftime break.
Given all the changes Robertson made, Canterbury experienced their share of bumps during the game as their combinations didn't run with their usual precision.
They still managed to secure the four-try bonus point with more than half an hour left when Jack Goodhue scored his second try in as many weeks.
The pace of the game was too much for Northland who regularly fell on the wrong side of the referee, which continually put them on the back foot.
Canterbury were dominant at set-piece, which provided a solid platform for them to work from and Northland were never in the game once the home side started cooking.
The points continued to flow for Canterbury in the second spell and the final whistle would have been welcomed by a battered Northland.
Canterbury travel to Dunedin to meet Otago next Thursday, while Northland will host Hawke's Bay in Whangarei next Friday night.
Canterbury 48 (Nasi Manu 2, Mitchell Drummond, Tom Sanders, Jack Goodhue, Patrick Osborne tries; Colin Slade 2 pen, 6 con)
Northland 3 (Daniel Hawkins pen). HT: 20-3
