Canterbury have joined Auckland in making it two bonus-point wins from two to start the NPC season, after dispatching Wellington in Christchurch on Saturday night.
The Lions had beaten the red and blacks in their last four home games, however still haven’t tasted victory in Christchurch since way back in 2007 after being put away 43-10 at Orangetheory Stadium.
Following up their hammering of Manawatū in the season-opener, Canterbury look a serious threat as they push for a first domestic title in five years.
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Sam Darry goes on the charge in Canterbury’s big NPC win over Wellington in Christchurch.
They were up just 10-8 with 35 minutes gone in this one, but such is their quick-switch ruthlessness, they transformed that into a half-dozen try effort and a 28-0 second-half rout, including a double to No 8 Cullen Grace, who was one of many champions in a superb loose-forward effort from the hosts.
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It wasn’t exactly looking rosy early for the red and blacks when Wellington wing Pepesana Patafilo surged down the left touch and soon later finished in the corner in just the fourth minute, they had hooker Brodie McAlister forced off with an elbow injury, and then Rameka Poihipi’s try ruled out for a break of the lineout offside line.
But McAlister’s replacement, George Bell, proved excellent on debut, the New Zealand Under-20 rep and 2022 Crusader latching onto a lineout drive to score in the 18th minute then proving a menace around the paddock.
With some superb scrambling defence keeping their line intact, Canterbury then struck a big blow in the 36th minute when Willi Heinz went one way then the other off the back of a scrum and Fergus Burke put George Bridge away in the corner, for a 15-10 halftime lead.
The teams slugged it out in the third quarter, but the back row boys of Grace, Tom Christie and captain Billy Harmon proved so tough to move over the ball, that any Wellington attacks were smartly snuffed out.
Coupled with the most solid of scrum platforms, the screws started to turn.
Dallas McLeod’s 59th minute 55-metre intercept effort off a Julian Savea pass then essentially changed the game, and four minutes later Grace cruised over all too easily off the back of a scrum to all but kill the contest.
With TJ Perenara sin-binned in the 72nd minute for playing the ball on the ground, Grace cashed in in barging over for a double and Heinz rubbed salt by sprinting up to intercept the pass of Richard Judd.
AT A GLANCE
Canterbury 43 (Cullen Grace 2, George Bell, George Bridge, Dallas McLeod, Willi Heinz tries; Fergus Burke 4 con, pen, Alex Harford con) Wellington 10 (Pepesana Patafilo try; Jackson Garden-Bachop con, pen). HT: 15-10.
Otago v Tasman
Otago held on for an upset win over southern rivals Tasman, in Dunedin, to open Saturday’s NPC action.
The hosts triumphed 25-19 for a first win over the Mako since 2016 in a thrilling finish which saw Will Tucker steal a lineout as Tasman searched for a score to save them after the siren.
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Ray Nu’u was a huge figure off the bench for Otago in their win over Tasman on Saturday.
But Otago, coming off last weekend’s heart-stopping added-time loss to Counties Manukau, deserved the spoils in the two-tries-apiece contest at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Their scrum was far superior, their loose forwards were dynamic and hungry, and their backline was potent up the middle, against a Tasman side who were underwhelming first-up against Southland and look well off the pace they have set in previous seasons.
Otago even shrugged off the early blow of losing winger Jona Nareki with a knee problem – the other leg to the heavily-strapped right one following the ruptured ACL he suffered in the first game last season which had kept him sidelined for a year.
And it was Nareki’s replacement, Ray Nu’u, who, slotting into the midfield, proved hugely instrumental in the home side’s victory, despite spending time in the sin bin in the second spell on the back of a team warning.
He opened the scoring in the 19th minute then set up Thomas Umaga-Jensen’s fine 55th minute try as Otago opened up an 11-point lead and were then good enough to go on with the job.
AT A GLANCE
Otago 25 (Ray Nu’u, Thomas Umaga-Jensen tries; Cameron Millar 5 pen) Tasman 19 (Timoci Tavatavanawai, Quentin MacDonald tries; Campbell Parata 3 pen). HT: 11-8.
Northland v Waikato
All Blacks midfielder Jack Goodhue made his return from a knee injury in Northland’s clash against Waikato in Whangārei, but his late error proved costly for the Taniwha.
In a wet-weather affair at Semenoff Stadium, the defending champion Mooloos toughed out a 16-10 one-try-apiece victory.
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Jack Goodhue loses the ball late in Northland’s defeat to Waikato in Whangārei.
Goodhue, who was named in the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship squad but has not played since the Crusaders’ Super Rugby Pacific final two months back, entered with around half an hour left and was solid if not spectacular in his touches, before then spilling a pass in contact as the home side threatened a late match-winner.
On the back of their upset over Taranaki last weekend, the Taniwha started strongly, Josh Moorby sneaking over for the opening try in just the fourth minute, but the boot of Damian McKenzie kept the visitors well in touch.
Down 10-6 at halftime, Waikato then hit the front in the 45th minute thanks to Rhys Marshall’s quick-thinking tap-and-go.
AT A GLANCE
Waikato 16 (Rhys Marshall try; Damian McKenzie con, 3 pen) Northland 10 (Josh Moorby try; Rivez Reihana con, pen). HT: 6-10.
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