Waikato 20 Canterbury 33
KEY POINTS:
Canterbury blasted Waikato off their own ground in the first half tonight to cut their Ranfurly Shield reign to one of the shortest in its history.
In the process they also took maximum Air NZ Cup rugby points to maintain their lead in the competition alongside Auckland.
Canterbury rocketed off the blocks at Rugby Park and maintained a staggering momentum for the entire first half in which they scored all their points, including five tries.
They wrapped up the bonus point on offer by the end of the first quarter and led 33-13 at halftime.
First five-eight Stephen Brett missed a dropped goal attempt before the first minute was up and No 8 Mose Tuiali'i was over the line before the second minute ended. But match officials couldn't decide whether he had grounded the ball in the tackle of fullback Dwayne Sweeney and first five-eight Stephen Donald.
No worries.
In the next minute second five-eighth Tim Bateman blazed through for the first try, hooker and captain Corey Flynn plucked a high ball from Brett on the right and scored the second in the 12th minute and three minutes later winger Rico Gear went in for No 3.
Fullback Scott Hamilton crossed for the fourth in the 22nd minute, Waikato centre Roimate Hansell-Pune pulled one back and Waikato were hot on attack against when Canterbury changed the tide suddenly.
Donald tried to kick through near the ingoal, Tuiali'i picked up the ball and started a counterattack resulting in replacement Hamish Gard scoring on the other hand - Canterbury's fifth try.
Canterbury treated rugby fans to some furious attacking rugby with skilful moves. There were times when they punched holes through the defence like Brett sandwiching himself between two Waikato players to release the ball that saw Gear scoring and Gear paying no respect to half-hearted tacklers when he set up Hamilton's try.
Brett's vision and accurate tactical kicking enabled Flynn to score and Tuiali'i showed how opportunities on offer should be taken when he sparked the counter-attack from near his own line that allowed Gard to cross. The entire Waikato team were caught out, with only a couple of forwards left to chase the Canterbury backs.
The second half was reduced to a typical trench warfare as Waikato lifted their defence.
Canterbury flanker Kieran Read was denied a try in the 53rd minute when released by Tuiali'i with a pass deemed to be forward in an attack from a lineout.
Waikato opened up the game in the last quarter, seeking to save the game and their desperation paid off almost immediately at the start of the last quarter.
But the game and the shield was gone from Waikato's grasp even when Donald scored their second try and added the conversion to make it 33-20.
A week earlier Waikato had shown a similar game to Canterbury's when they took the shield off North Harbour.
Canterbury 33 (Tim Bateman, Corey Flynn, Rico Gear, Scott Hamilton, Hamish Gard tries; Stephen Brett 4 con), Waikato 20 (Roimate Hansell-Pune, Stephen Donald tries; Stephen Donald 2 pen, 2 con). Halftime 33-13.
- NZPA
