Late season surge could help New Zealand's most successful province of the modern era stave off relegation
Canterbury have gone the right way about staving off relegation from the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership.
The perennial title contenders have found themselves in unfamiliar territory in 2020, sitting at the foot of the ladder heading into the penultimate round of the regular season.
With top two sides Tasman and Auckland on the schedule for the run home, they seemed set to finish a forgettable season in fitting fashion.
Instead, in surprising Tasman 29-0 in Blenheim on Saturday, Canterbury have not only given themselves a chance of staying in the top division, but are not out of the running for the playoff spots.
“Our start set us off really well,” Canterbury captain Reed Prinsep said after the win.
“We talked about intent and just going moment by moment, and the way we started, it just flowed right throughout the game. We just took it block by block, moment by moment and it flowed like that.”
Canterbury made their presence felt early, applying pressure on the Tasman defence before winger Ngane Punivai crossed for the first points inside the opening five minutes.
Trailing early, things went from bad to worse for Tasman when they lost midfielder Alex Nankivell to a broken hand just 11 minutes in.
Both sides had their opportunities in the first half, but outside of the opening try the attacking play was patchy on both sides, with handling errors and tough defensive play slowing things down.
Just seven points down and halftime approaching, Tasman were still well in the contest, but a Brett Cameron penalty followed by a dazzling solo try by Josh McKay saw the margin extended to 17 when the halftime whistle sounded.
The hurt only worsened for Tasman when Chay Fihaki intercepted a pass and scooted away to extend the Canterbury lead just six minutes after the restart.
A late try to Isaiah Punivai sealed the deal, with Canterbury handing Tasman their first shutout defeat since a 39-0 loss — also to Canterbury — in 2017.
With a bonus point win, Canterbury move within a point of fourth-placed North Harbour — who trampled Counties Manukau 32-5 in Albany.
With the announcement of the 2021 Super Rugby squads set for December 1, opportunities for Kiwi rugby fans to catch a glimpse of their franchise's next wave of talent is slimming by the week. #Mitre10Cup https://t.co/XHzDfw43x6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 7, 2020
After dropping their first three games of the season, North Harbour have now picked up five wins from their last six outings to edge toward a playoff berth.
After a relatively slow start both ways saw North Harbour take a 10-0 lead into the break, they found their way in the second 40 to run up the score and take a comfortable victory.
Earlier in the day, Auckland did it tough against Northland in a 24-20 win — spending most of the game with 14 players.
Auckland lost hookers Soane Vikena and Leni Apisai within the opening 25 minutes, bringing uncontested scrums into play. Because Auckland were the side that caused the issue, they were forced to play the rest of the match a man down, while reserve prop Jarred Adams was tasked with throwing in the lineouts.
Trailing 8-0 at the break, Auckland charged home on the back of a double from Salesi Rayasi, surviving a late Northland charge to retain their spot at the top of the ladder.
Canterbury 29 (Ngane Punivai, Josh McKay, Chay Fihaki, Isaiah Punivai tries; Brett Cameron 3 cons, pen)
Tasman 0
HT: 17-0.
Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments