Drummond breaks Tasman hearts
Former Nelson boy Mitchell Drummond plunged the dagger deep into Tasman hearts with his match-winning NPC semi-final try for Canterbury at Trafalgar Park.
The try sealed the Mako’s fate, 21-16 as they sought to claim their first championship title triumph. Earning the home semi-final against third-ranked Canterbury was not enough to guarantee the home side a path through to Saturday’s final against Auckland.
The Mako will take a while to get over this loss with what many believe was their strongest squad at tasting victory and after having the better of the first half to lead 13-6 at the break.
Now they are left to rue what might have been and watch Canterbury, who reached their 10th final in 11 seasons, clash against top qualifier Auckland up north.
Losing two players with yellow card sin bins just piled on the pressure for the Mako as Canterbury launched wave after wave of attack as the second spell progressed.
Most Tasman players tackled themselves to a standstill but eventually the wall was breached.
It became Tasman coach Leon MacDonald’s last game before he takes up an assistant coaching gig at the Blues.
Canterbury took advantage of the two cards to fight back.
Drummond, a former product of Nelson College who shifted south and linked with the Crusaders and Canterbury, was the villain twice in the minds of home supporters, perhaps not least his Dad, Shane a Tasman life member.
Not only did Mitchell score the final try but had touched down earlier in the second spell as Canterbury levelled up to 16-all.
While referee Mike Fraser was playing advantage, Tasman had reason to feel hard done by the first try-scoring move by Drummond.
Replays showed Canterbury flanker Reed Prinsep held Blackadder, denying him the chance to break off the scrum and make a scrambling tackle.
However, despite howls from the crowd as replays flashed on the big screen, the try stood.