Cantabs make it three in a row
‘‘NOT again.’’
You can just about hear everyone outside of Canterbury muttering the words after the red and blacks emphatically beat Tasman 35-13 last night to win the Mitre 10 Cup premiership.
It was their third straight title, ninth in 10 years and 14th in history. Only Auckland (16) has won more, but Canterbury’s dynasty is fast closing in.
Canterbury first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga put on a clinic at AMI Stadium, scoring two quite remarkable individual tries and showing exactly why All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is keeping a close eye on him.
Last week, while providing injury cover for the All Blacks, he was a nervous wreck in a Brisbane hotel room as he watched the red and blacks win their semifinal against North Harbour.
Not making Hansen’s 37-strong squad for the northern tour had a silver lining – he didn’t have to go through something similar.
A year after he scored two tries in last year’s 43-27 win against Tasman in the final, the visitors must have been ruing his availability.
Particularly after his second try – a sparkling 48m dash after fielding a kick – put Canterbury 12-10 up after 25 minutes.
Mo’unga, who gassed half the Makos on his way to the line, finished with 25 points, and chalked up 143 metres on 17 carries.
His 25-point haul also surpassed former Canterbury first-five Tom Taylor’s (23 points) record for most points scored in an NPC final.
The defeat marked Tasman’s third finals defeat since 2014, when they came up agonisingly short against Taranaki.
With a handy breeze behind them in the first half, a 19-13 halftime deficit is the last thing Tasman coach Leon MacDonald would have wanted.
But that’s precisely what happened after Canterbury vicecaptain and centre Tim Bateman crashed over as the halftime hooter rang out into the fresh Christchurch night.
Mo’unga bashed over three penalties to put Canterbury 28-13 up after 65 minutes, as the visitors, who at one stage defended 35 consecutive phases, struggled with their set piece.
Their lineout was particularly wonky and cost them a bunch of opportunities, while their scrum also struggled against the much