Skipper George Whitelock proudly holds the ITM Cup as Canterbury begin their celebrations

by Paul Cook –

Can anybody halt Canterbury’s dominance of the New Zealand provincial scene? That is the question being asked again after the Cantabrians made it six ITM/Air New Zealand trophies in a row with a come from behind win over Wellington Lions at the ‘Cake Tin’ on Saturday night.

Trailing 10-7 at half-time in traditionally windy conditions in the nation’s capital, Canterbury’s defence stood up when needed and they turned up the heat in the second stanza to run out 29-13 winners in a performance more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests.

The reigning champions controlled almost every facet of the game, choking Wellington within their own half for the majority of the match – with and into the wind – and had the strike power to make it count when opportunities arose.

Loose forward Luke Whitelock, adding the triumph to the news of his call-up to the All Blacks squad for the Autumn internationals, pinpointed their rear guard action after the break as pivotal to their success.

“The boys prepared well, we knew we were coming into a big challenge here and it’s credit to them, our defence really came through,” he said. “Coming into the break we were feeling quite good, we just needed to go to the basics and obviously, our defence was critical. Getting out of your half in this wind is very tough and if you can do that and not concede points it’s pretty critical. It’s an awesome way to finish.”

Canterbury winger Patrick Osborne produced some moments of magic in the title decider

A stand out in defeat for Wellington was another newcomer to the All Blacks scene, Ardie Savea, and he conceded afterwards that they were simply outplayed on the night. “The boys are pretty gutted, Canterbury came out firing and we couldn’t live with it. We put pressure on ourselves and Canterbury pounced on that so at the end of the day, we let ourselves down.”

However, he also saw much cause for optimism for the Lions looking ahead. “There was something special in this team and l really think we can build from this year and really carry it on for the next couple of years with Wellington,” he enthused. “Even though we lost, we’ve got to look to the future.”

Both sides came into the game on the back of dominant semi-final performances, Wellington by 41-10 over Counties Manukau and Canterbury by 56-26 over Auckland and when hostilities got underway – after one of the most tortuous mangling’s of a fine national anthem you could have the misfortune to endure – it was the visitors who set their stall out early.

Patrick Osborne had already sounded out a warning shot in the 6th minute when he sidestepped his way down the line to put fullback Tom Taylor into the corner before the Lions cover defence shoed him into touch just metres from the chalk. But when he got another chance with ball in hand three minutes later, the outcome was devastating.

Fielding a sloppy kick from Wellington, he took off, tearing a path down the left wing before grubbering in behind the defence, regathering and firing a one handed reverse pass inside to the unmarked Andy Ellis, who strolled over.

It was a magnificent piece of opportunism.

The Lions got themselves on the board in the 13th minute through a Lima Sopoaga penalty but it was the Cantabrians who continued to make the early running, dominating the territory stats in the opening quarter, despite playing into the increasingly extravagant wind.

Taylor almost extended their advantage on 22 minutes after good work from his forwards laid a platform for him to have a dart at the line but he knocked on in the process of stretching for the chalk.

The let-off proved to be the kickstart the Lions needed as they rumbled forward and finally managed to exert some sustained pressure themselves. Holding court inside Canterbury’s 22 for over five minutes, it was only the tenacity of the visitor’s defence that held them at bay but they remained patient and a final surge from skipper Victor Vito – with a point to prove after missing out on his place on the autumn tour – created a gap in the Canterbury line which allowed Savea to put Sopoaga over from 10 metres out.

Wellington flyhalf Lima Sopoaga finished with all his side’s points in an impressive display

The Highlanders flyhalf added the extras to give the home side a narrow 10-7 lead at the break, but with the wind against them in the 2nd half, they had their work cut out to bring this one home. Within minutes of the restart, their task got even harder when a spilt ball from Sopoaga off the back of a Lions scrum led to a pinball session before skipper George Whitelock made a burst for glory. When he was brought down, the ball was recycled wide for Osborne to float a long, loping pass into the arms of an unmarked Ryan Crotty, who found the corner.

Sopoaga passed up an opportunity to hit back straight away after he drilled a long range penalty just wide and despite the degree of difficulty kicking such a distance into a ‘Cake Tin’ gale, you simply have to take every point scoring opportunity you are afforded against this champion team.

Canterbury, having visibly stepped up the pace since the break, smelled blood in the water and they came mightily close to adding another in the 53rd minute when prop Joe Moody forced his way under the posts only for a superb last ditch tackle from the impressive Jeffery Toomaga-Allen to hold him out, the TMO being called upon to confirm Moody’s failed mission.

It proved to be a double blow for the 25-year-old as he was carried from the field in the aftermath with a broken leg, an injury that costs him his place on the plane to Japan with the All Blacks tomorrow. Ironically, it is Toomaga-Allen who has been drafted in as his replacement.

The TMO was called upon again after a play from the resulting 5 metre Canterbury scrum saw Luke Whitelock stretch for the line before being consumed by a mass of red, black and yellow shirts. The holders were convinced enough to retreat back to halfway for the conversion but instead it was ruled inconclusive and a disbelieving Canterbury reluctantly made their way back upfield to the sardonic cheers of the home crowd.

Déjà vu: The Wellington faithful have endured
five final losses in the last eight years

Having knocked on the door twice, it was no surprise when the visitors did make their ascendancy count just before the hour, Adam Whitelock coming up just short after a step and dive for the line before Tyler Bleyendaal scooped up in support to pop the ball down for a 17-10 advantage. Whether Bleyendaal came through the gate correctly in order to do so however, is questionable.

Lima Sopoaga was almost single-handedly taking the game to the holders and it was his line break in the 65th minute that got the Lions on the front foot for the first time in the half and his subsequent penalty that punished Canterbury for drifting offside.

However, the Highlanders pivot immediately undid his good work when he took on a red and black wall inside his own half with no support and was pinged for holding on. Tom Taylor successfully punished the error with 3pts and 22-13 down with 10 minutes to go, it was looking like an uphill task for Wellington.

Despite plenty of endeavour, the hosts’ limited attacking forays amounted to little more than huff and puff in the face of Canterbury’s superbly marshalled defence and with 4 minutes left on the clock, their fate was sealed when a dropped ball allowed replacement hooker Marcel Cummings-Toone a chance to show an impressive turn of speed to get within 10 metres before the cavalry arrived in time to put captain George Whitelock over, despite the protestations of the Wellington players.

Tom Taylor converted to rubber stamp the win, overtaking Adrian Cashmore as the leading point scorer in NPC finals in the process. While Canterbury celebrated six in a row, Wellington were left to rue their fifth final loss in five appearances in the last eight years. Always the bridesmaid…

Canterbury 29 (Andy Ellis, Ryan Crotty, Tyler Bleyendaal, George Whitelock tries; Tom Taylor 3 cons, pen) bt Wellington Lions 13 (Lima Sopoaga try; con, 2 pens)

Crowd 15,070

*******

In Friday night’s Championship final, Tasman got the better of Hawke’s Bay in an epic, 26-25, to earn promotion to the Premiership for 2014.