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Taranaki have stunned Canterbury 55-43 in Christchurch last night, winning the famous Ranfurly Shield for the first time since 2012.
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Facing a 31-7 deficit at one stage, Taranaki rallied to record the highest score ever by a visiting side in a shield challenge.
Two tries by Lachlan Boshier in the second half proved crucial in a game where defence took a back seat. All Black Seta Tamanivalu also found his way to the line, alongside nephew Manasa Mataele – both of whom played starring roles on AMI Stadium for the Super Rugby champion Crusaders this year.
“I think it’s quite easy for a team, when you’re down that much (24 points), to go down by 60 points. But it shows the brotherhood and the bond we’ve got between these boys here, it was a special win for us.” said Taranaki hooker Ricky Riccitelli.
Meanwhile, Canterbury skipper Tim Bateman was at a loss for words.
“We’re absolutely gutted, we really are,” he said. “We felt like we had enough to win, as a team we just let ourselves down. What, we were 31-7 up? To let 48 points go like that…”
The loss is Canterbury’s second of the season in high scoring fashion, after they were walloped 60-14 by Wellington. Despite losing the shield, they remain top of the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership standings.
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There’s no rest for the new holders, however. Taranaki have their first defence against local rivals Manawatu on Wednesday night, and a loss would see them take a slightly less sought-after record: shortest Ranfurly Shield tenure ever.