Rugby: Wilson kick brings back shield magic

The Southland rugby team celebrate with the Ranfurly Shield. Photo / Getty Images

Canterbury 19
Southland 22

In the words of an American sporting legend, this was deja vu all over again.

For the second time in two years, an underdog Southland side travelled up to Christchurch and against all expectations prised away the Ranfurly Shield.

Every so often the relevance of the Log o' Wood is questioned but the magic of the Shield was graphically illustrated in a gripping encounter at Rugby Park in Christchurch. Previous form went out the window as a Southland team, coming off back-to-back losses, overcame a 16-9 halftime deficit to win the match at the death.

First five James Wilson was the hero, showing nerves of steel to coolly slot a 30m drop goal with three minutes left on the clock. Canterbury lost the ball from the resultant kickoff, and never saw it again - the Southland forwards keeping it close before Wilson joyfully kicked for touch.

Canterbury captain George Whitelock said his team ultimately paid the price for their passive approach in the second half.

"We went into our shell a bit - and got trapped down one end. We struggled to create space and they finished it off."

Canterbury had looked good for their halftime lead, scoring two sparkling tries while Southland struggled to stay in touch, with three penalties from Wilson keeping them in range.

But everything turned in the second half. At one stage Canterbury had made 123 tackles to Southland's 36, as they laid seige to the Canterbury line. The Stags managed to hold the ball for seven phases or more on six separate occasions - Canterbury did the same just once.

The levee finally broke in the 62nd minute, after the home side fluffed a lineout on their line and Scott Cowan dived over from the subsequent ruck. Southland had the lead for the first time; the holders responded almost immediately, hurtling into opposition territory for one of the few times in the half. Taylor missed a plum drop kick, before redeeming himself with a long range pressure penalty to tie up the scores before Wilson's late heroics.

Canterbury had looked fresher from the outset, showing the benefit of six days since their last outing while Southland were coming off a midweek loss in Napier. The home side opened the scoring through a Patrick Osborne try after eight minutes. Osborne has been a revelation in the first few weeks of the ITM Cup and profited from a Sean Maitland incision to scorch down the left touchline, leaving Robbie Robinson for dead.

The shield holders extended their lead in the 20th minute with a classic set phase move, halfback Willi Heinz working a neat double round with Taylor before putting Maitland into the clear with a perfectly timed pass.

In the latter stages of the first half Southland started to work their way into the match. Jamie Mackintosh was dominating his opposite number at scrum time, and on two occasions the Canterbury forward pack was driven off the ball by the Southland eight.

Three times in the dying minutes of the first half, Southland contrived to squander possession when hot on attack. It seemed costly at the time, but ultimately was a portent to what we would see in the second half. They had matched up well in the first spell, with only handling errors and lack of support for the man in possession proving their undoing.

For the first 50 minutes of the match Canterbury were their usual efficient selves, though not with the same continuity we have come to expect; too many times play broke down after the first or second phase and in the end they paid the ultimate price.

Southland's first defence will be against Counties Manakau on Friday. Other possible challenges will come from North Harbour (August 13), Taranaki (August 24) and Bay of Plenty (August 28).

Canterbury 19 (P. Osborne, S. Maitland tries; T. Taylor 3 pens) Southland 22 (S. Cowan try; J. Wilson 4 pens, con, drop goal). Halftime: 16-9.