No surprises in opener

Hawke's Bay 0 Canterbury 45

At times like this, you crave a bit of stage management some would say. The Air NZ Cup is brand new, it is a last-gasp chance for provincial rugby and yet the first game put in front of the national gaze is the country's foremost province versus one of the furthest from surpremacy.

Why, oh why, not rig the draw so that the competition kicks off with an audience-grabbing close contest, rather than one which tends to accentuate the gap between the old first and second divisions?

One estimation from within this office was that Canterbury would score 70 points.

That they didn't was down to a gutsy Bay defensive performance and Canterbury losing their way a little.

They also threw on their entire bench to give them all a trot which did not help continuity. But that's rugby these days - rotation above all.

Canterbury, through Kevin O'Neill at the lineouts and their front row of Campbell Johnstone, Corey Flynn and Wyatt Crockett at the scrum, quickly asserted their strength and first-five Stephen Brett showed the first of many touches of class with a try within a few minutes.

The game was essentially over then and there and, throughout the nation, you could almost feel the interest drifting away. And all for a bit of creative scheduling.

It was impossible to watch Brett and halfback Andrew Ellis without thinking of an All Black pairing in the making.

Some would say that Brett looks a little like Daniel Carter but he has touches more reminiscent of Stephen Bachop, with his quick hands, quick feet and tilted-back kicking style which sees the ball punted low and very long. A compelling debut. His opposite, Matt Berquist, also played well.

The Bay will do better when they tidy up their lineout philosophy: "I know, let's throw it anywhere and see what happens." They badly need to win more set-piece ball.

Meanwhile, Johnstone, supposedly not in the All Black frame because scrummaging is not enough, is worth watching for some good running.

Hawke's Bay 0
Canterbury 45 (C. McIntyre 2, M. Tuiali'i 2, S. Brett, C. Johnstone tries; B. Blair 6 con, pen).