Otago 20
Canterbury 35
Just as he did last week, Sonny Bill Williams stepped in to save the day for Canterbury who unexpectedly toiled against a feisty Otago.
From seemingly sitting ripe for an old-fashioned hammering before half-time, Otago drew level at 20-20 with 13 minutes remaining.
The unthinkable was looking thinkable as Canterbury, as they have all season, fired the gun at their feet.
Sloppiness gripped the visitors and instead of posting 50, they just about let Otago sneak in the back door.
From being 17-6 up after 30 minutes, Canterbury needed Williams to blast onto the ball and then take off down the left flank to provide the required breathing space with a try of individual brilliance.
On one level it must be a relief that Canterbury keep finding these get-out-of-jail cards. On another, they must wonder how they keep incarcerating themselves.
This inability to find a clinical edge is becoming the story of the ITM Cup. This is a team that can play rugby, fling the ball wide and cut anyone and everyone to shreds.
But yesterday they only capable of such magic in patches. There wasn't a relevant area where they weren't in control, the most important being the collision where they hit bodies low and hard and recycled quickly.
That was key to their performance. Canterbury clearly saw little or no need to attack through their forwards. They were merely the mechanism by which they took control of possession.
It was all about the backs. And why not? Andy Ellis took another step closer to his best form while Colin Slade impressed with his composure and certainty.
He's got all the technical bits and bobs, has Slade, and he showed he knows how to use them. He's a bit like Carter, well, as close as any mortal can be to Carter, in the effortless way he distributes, runs, kicks and never gets in a muddle.
The only scrambled information will have been the knowledge that next season, some of those in the Otago side will be his Highlanders' team-mates. He didn't show any mercy or lack of understanding that in Ryan Crotty and Williams he had the partners to get the job done.
Crotty, fast on his feet, deceptively strong and clever, scored Canterbury's second try just before half-time when he flew onto an inside pass and cantered over. As for Williams, his offloads were there - like they always are. Those giant arms continue to emerge from the bodies grappling to put him down.
There was one to Tu Umaga-Marshall after the break that defied belief and deserved better than a wild pass from the wing. Undeterred, Williams got another away in the next attack and, if it turns out he is a one-trick pony, what a trick to have.
Where he wasn't so influential was in his defensive work. It's not that he can't tackle or is technically bankrupt. He was simply learning the difficult art of defending at centre.
That was the point All Black coach Graham Henry made during the week - that Williams had certainly impressed so far but how would he cope with maintaining and understanding the structure when he was wearing No 13?
It won't really bother Henry that Williams shuffled around a bit, looked a little lost at times but essentially got by. That innate reading of patterns and systems will come in time - and the All Black coaches will fancy they can fast-track it.
Yet for all the obvious quality and fluidity produced by the Canterbury backs, they failed to deliver enough in terms of points. They had nearly all the ball in the second half and spent much of it in Otago territory.
But, man, they blew some opportunities. Suspect passing was the worst culprit. Poor handling was another and there was some awful decision-making - overlaps blown, needless skip passes thrown, men turning the ball inside or going on their own.
Still, as frustrating as it was for Cantabrians to see such inaccuracy, their competition should be a little fearful. At some stage Canterbury are going to get it right for 80 minutes.
Otago 20 (J. Hill, H. Aulika tries; G. Dickson 2 cons, 2 pens); Canterbury 35 (S. Fualau, R. Crotty, S. Williams, S. Maitland tries; C. Slade 3 cons, 2 pens; A. Ellis DG)
