Rugby: Canterbury set up Auckland clash

Tom Taylor slotted 10 from 10 off the tee to ensure Canterbury would host the final. Photo / Getty

Canterbury 46
Taranaki 20

Lineouts, goalkicking, defence. Canterbury were virtually flawless in all three key facets of this encounter and it was all far too good for Taranaki in tonight's second ITM Cup Premiership semifinal at AMI Stadium.

Canterbury now face Auckland in just the second decider between the two since 1992 (the first was in 2012).

The final tally of tonight's game shows four tries to three but, in truth, it was not that close. Once the lineout dominance of lock Dominic Bird took hold - he claimed 11 balls in this set-piece - and Tom Taylor had slotted 10 from 10 off the tee, it was always clear Canterbury would be hosting next Saturday night's final.

Then there was the vaunted Canterbury defence, led by the extraordinary Matt Todd and supported by hooker Ben Funnell. In the backline, second-five Rob Thompson scored a brace from two chargedowns, taking his tally to 10 for the season and making him the joint competition leader with the man he will mark in next week's decider, Auckland's George Moala.

The first was an astonishing piece of dexterity when he caught, at point blank range, a solidly-kicked clearance by Taranaki halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi.

"The boys really stepped up. We got tripped up last time against them," said Canterbury skipper and Highlanders-bound Luke Whitelock. "Our defence stepped up and we focused on getting their big ball carriers down.

"Auckland are a side with great momentum and game breakers."

Taranaki skipper Charlie Ngatai, who was a late withdrawal from the Taranaki side that edged Canterbury 24-21 last month on the same ground, was philosophical in defeat.
"We gave it everything, but they were the better team on the night," said the Maori All Blacks captain.

Taranaki looked useful at times with the ball, but conceded too many penalties and turnovers, and Taylor made them pay anywhere in a 45m radius with a superb display of place kicking. He will be missed when he departs for Toulon to join Ma'a Nonu after the final.

There was time for Taranaki wing Jackson Ormond to score in his 50th game for the union, but the visitors were gifted their third and final try when wing Johnny McNicholl was sinbinned for a deliberate knock-down from which referee Nick Briant awarded Taranaki a penalty try. Given the TMO replays clearly showed McNicholl tried to knock the ball up to regather, it ranked as a terrible decision.

It mattered not in the final analysis. Bird just kept pulling down lineouts, Todd continued being a breakdown nuisance and Taylor kept nailing the goals. It was Canterbury at their clinical best.

The stage is set for a cracking final in Christchurch. Canterbury will be gunning for their seventh title in the last eight season, and 12th in all since 1976, while the hungry, young Auckland side will be desperate for their 17th provincial crown and first since 2007.

Canterbury 46 (R. Thompson 2, M. Suckling, B. Funnell tries; T. Taylor 4 con, 6 pen)
Taranaki 20 (J. Ormond, K. Baker tries, penalty try; C. Rei con, pen)
Halftime: 19-8