Rugby: Waikato block Canty's path to three-peat

Telsa Veainu (L) of Canterbury celebrates with Isaac Ross after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

It's almost hard to believe given they are both perennial title contenders, but Canterbury and Waikato will meet in a provincial championship rugby final for the first time.

The two Super rugby bases will feature in the season's showpiece at Christchurch next Friday (7.35pm kickoff) after prevailing in high-scoring and highly entertaining semifinals, Canterbury 57-41 over Wellington at Christchurch on Friday and Waikato 38-37 over Auckland at Auckland last night, courtesy of an 82nd minute converted try in a thrilling finish.

Canterbury are aiming to become the first team since the star-studded Auckland side of the mid-1990s, who won four in a row from 1993-96, to win three consecutive titles, having beaten Wellington in the past two finals.

They have won five of their six final appearances since the inception of the playoffs format in 1992, while Waikato have been successful in two of their four final appearances, the last of which was a defeat of Wellington in 2006.

But the two teams have never played each other in a title decider.

Canterbury will start as favourites given home ground advantage and their impressive attacking display against a talented but inexperienced and sometimes naive Wellington team, but in-form Waikato are brimming with confidence after scoring a sixth successive win in dramatic circumstances last night.

Among those wins was a 26-6 demolition of Canterbury in the final round-robin match at Hamilton, a match in which Waikato's forwards were utterly dominant.

"I think so," was Waikato coach Chris Gibbes' response when asked by reporters if they could repeat that dose in the final.

"Canterbury at home are a formidable opponent and they showed what they can do (on Friday) if you give them time and space and plenty of ball, so it's a pretty simple formula for us."

Waikato were patchy last night.

They started poorly and were frivolous with the ball as Auckland's tight finals-like approach initially got the better of them.

A four-try burst in 24 minutes either side of halftime handed Waikato a 28-20 lead, but they found themselves trailing again, 28-37, with 10min remaining after the home team regained some composure.

But a penalty to first five-eighth Trent Renata got the visitors within striking distance.

They were rewarded for a sustained period of pressure on Auckland's goalline with the match-winning converted try in the 82nd minute, replacement hooker Hikairo Forbes barrelling over from a ruck to become the toast of Hamilton alongside Renata, who nailed the conversion.

"Some of the opportunities that were presented we didn't take, but the boys gutsed it out," Gibbes said.

"We've done it a couple of times and we knew we were going to have to do that again.

"They chucked everything at us but I'm just pretty proud of the lads to hang in there and get what we needed. It wasn't pretty but we got it done and we'll take a lot of confidence from that."

Canterbury were outstanding on attack in their win over Wellington, with dynamic backs Robbie Fruean and Sean Maitland again shining in an incredible match which yielded 98 points, with 60 in the first half alone.

First five-eighth Colin Slade was also in supreme form with the boot -- he kicked 11 from 11 attempts -- and his running and passing game was precise, but questions hang over Canterbury's usually-reliable defence and discipline, and a dodgy lineout, all things Waikato will surely probe further into during the week.

Wellington posted four tries, most with too much ease for Canterbury coach Rob Penney's liking, while impressive young Wellington first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga kicked five penalties as the home team were punished by referee Keith Brown.

- NZPA