Wellington bulldoze Canterbury

Conrad Smith of the Lions scores a try during the Air New Zealand Cup quarter-final. Marty Melville / Getty Images

Wellington 36 Canterbury 23

WELLINGTON - Canterbury's stuttering rugby season stalled at the hands of a rampaging Wellington, who ran out 36-23 winners in a one-sided quarterfinal at Westpac Stadium tonight.

Led from the front by two-try flanker Jerry Collins, Wellington became the first team to qualify for the Air New Zealand Cup semifinals, scoring five tries to two late consolation efforts from a suprisingly toothless Canterbury.

Rarely has a Canterbury team been so outplayed in the professional era but they had no answers against the aggressive, more enterprising approach of the hosts, who trailed 0-6 after 20 minutes but dominated the rest of a match played in cool, slippery conditions in front of 18,000 jubilant supporters.

It ends a disappointing season for coach Rob Penney's Canterbury side, who struggled for consistency and suffered four losses, relinquishing the Ranfurly Shield along the way.

Wellington have also been patchy but produced easily their best display tonight, bulldozing over the advantage line at will and keeping mistakes to a minimum.

It brought a smile to the face of Wellington coach John Plumtree, who was in charge for his last home game before taking up a contract next month with South African Super 14 franchise the Sharks.

Collins was a hugely influential figure, leading a muscular Wellington forward effort.

In contrast, his All Blacks flank teammate and captain, Richie McCaw, playing his first game for more than a month, was clearly off the pace for Canterbury.

Their respective fortunes were summed up in the 47th minute when a fatigued McCaw was replaced and, from the ensuing lineout, Collins drove over to give his side a decisive 15-point lead.

Collins sliced through for his second soon afterwards and hooker Mahonri Schwalger had another to give Wellington a 36-9 lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Canterbury crossed twice in that time through replacement flanker Michael Paterson and first five-eighth Daniel Carter, who contributed 18 points in a five-from-five goalkicking display but was well contained in general play.

The game was nothing like the clash between the sides last month, when Wellington needed an injury time try to snatch a two-point win.

Canterbury dominated the opening stages and were unlucky not to score when lock Kevin O'Neill was centimetres short of the tryline.

Two penalties to Carter gave the visitors an advantage but momentum shifted on the 20min mark when impressive prop Neemia Tialata barged over.

Gopperth landed the conversion and moments later snapped a dropped goal from 30m.

Another Carter penalty was followed by a deserved try to Wellington centre Conrad Smith, after the hosts threw waves of attack at the Canterbury line.

Wellington's lead at the break would have been greater than 17-9 if lock Ross Filipo hadn't been denied a try in the corner on the stroke of halftime.

Canterbury captain Aaron Mauger said Wellington probably had been the hungrier side tonight.

" We started well but they weathered our storm pretty well and got a little momentum that was pretty hard to stop."

Wellington had worked hard to win the ball and had used it well.

Lions' captain Tana Umaga said his team had played probably their best game of the year tonight.

Consistency had been the team's bugbear in the past but today, things had stuck.

" . . . some days it's on and some days it's off and today was a pretty on day for us.

"Some of the kicks, even, we seemed to get a few of the bounces as well."

Umaga said there was an enjoyable environment in the team and "that's what come through today".

Wellington will play a probable semifinal in Hamilton next weekend if, as expected, top seeds Waikato beat Southland in tomorrow's quarterfinal.

Wellington 36 (Neemia Tialata, Conrad Smith, Jerry Collins 2, Mahonri Schwalger tries; Jimmy Gopperth 4 con, dropped goal)
Canterbury 23 (Michael Paterson, Dan Carter try; Carter 3 pen, 2 con).
HT: 17-9.

- NZPA