Cantabs: The hat-trick that is a double
Canterbury won the NPC for the third straight year after downing Waikato 33-13 in the final in Christchurch on Friday.
The victory before 10,500 spectators on a drizzly night gave them their second trophy of the year after having succesfully reclaimed the Ranfurly Shield from Southland.
After taking a 13-8 lead into half-time, Canterbury dominated Waikato in the second half adding 20 points through two tries, two conversions and two penalty goals to the Mooloos solitary unconverted try.
Canterbury captain George Whitelock, back on the flank after missing the last month with a knee injury, formed a deadly loose forward trio with Nasi Manu and Matt Todd, while flyhalf Colin Slade again showed his class, catching a kick ahead in the 70th minute to run half the length of the field for the match-clinching try.
Canterbury opened the scoring in the third minute after a kick ahead by Robbie Fruean was fumbled in the in-goal area by Waikato No.8 Alex Bradley, flying winger Tu Umaga-Marshall pounced on the ball centimetres short of the dead-ball line and the try was confirmed by the TMO.
Waikato hit back eight minutes later, the pack dominating a scrum and the forwards driving towards the line with prop Toby Smith burrowing over, and the scores were level.
Slade battled into the wind, missing two early penalty kicks but made it third time lucky in the 22nd minute, landing a 32m goal kick to give his side the lead. However it was short-lived, Trent Renata slotting a 18m penalty goal from in front to draw level at 8-8.
After 38 minutes Canterbury scored their second try when Slade used his foot to charge down a clearing kick from scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Ryan Crotty was the first to the ball, gathering just before the line and crossing in a tackle. Slade was astray with the wide conversion, but the defending champions led 13-8 at half-time.
Slade had the first scoring chance in the second half and made no mistake with a 36m penalty goal after 43 minutes.
Waikato fought back strongly, and after a some controlled play which went to both flanks, the space opened up for wing Henry Speight, who accepted a long pass from replacement scrumhalf Brendon Leonard and dotted down in the corner. Renata missed the conversion, but the gap was only three points with 23 minutes remaining.
Canterbury controlled the game from that point, with replacement Stephen Brett kicking to the corners and keeping Waikato in their own half. The pressure told in the 65th minute when Canterbury flank Matt Todd scored after Leonard had his kick charged down by Nasi Manu. Slade easily converted from close range to extend the lead to 23-13.
Canterbury scored their last try in the 70th minute through Slade's breakaway effort and, despite a number of desperate Waikato substitutions in the final stages, dictated terms for the rest of the match. Stephen Brett's 77th minute penalty kick extended the lead to 33-13, which Canterbury managed to defend until the final whistle.
The scorers:
For Canterbury:
Tries: Umaga-Marshall, Crotty, Todd, Slade
Cons: Slade 2
Pens: Slade 2, Brett
For Waikato:
Tries: Smith, Speight
Pens: Renata
Waikato: 15 Sosene Anesi, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Save Tokula, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Dwayne Sweeney, 10 Trent Renata, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Alex Bradley, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu, 5 Romana Graham, 4 Toby Lynn, 3 Nathan White (captain), 2 Aled de Malmanche, 1 Toby Smith.
Replacements: 16 Hikairo Forbes, 17 Ben May, 18 Kent Fife, 19 Zak Hohneck, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Christian Lealiifano, 22 Tim Mikkelson
Canterbury: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Tu Umaga-Marshall, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Telusa Veainu, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock (captain), 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Peter Borlase, 2 Steve Fualau, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Paul Ngauamo, 17 Andrew Olorenshaw, 18 Ash Parker, 19 Brendon O'Connor, 20 Takerei Norton, 21 Stephen Brett, 22 Sam Monaghan.
Referee: Jonathon White
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson, Kane McBride
TMO: Nick Briant