Canterbury survive scare to see of Shield challenge
The Ranfurly Shield is staying put for the summer.
Canterbury replacement prop Harry Allan scored a try two minutes after the final hooter as the red and blacks edged North Harbour 31-25 in Christchurch yesterday afternoon.
Before Allan powered over after multiple phases, and under penalty advantage, Canterbury had set up camp on Harbour’s line as they trailed 25-24.
Conceding the late try was a bitter blow for North Harbour, who were the better side for chunks of the match. To add salt to their wound, the defeat also denied them a playoff spot.
With the Log o’ Wood tucked away safely, the red and blacks will now switch focus to this week’s semifinal against Wellington in the capital as they eye a 10th title in the past 12 years.
Canterbury, who lost backs Ngane Punivai, Josh McKay and
Tim Bateman to injury during the match, had to dig deep to secure their 140th Shield defence.
Because when replacement Harbour halfback Lewis Gjaltema dived over after a dominant scrum 5m from Canterbury’s line in the 72nd minute, the visitors led 25-24 and a
boilover was beyond brewing.
Canterbury pivot Brett Cameron then missed a penalty from out in front, before turning down another tough one as he struggled with cramp.
It paid off, as Canterbury launched the rolling maul which led to Allan diving over.
North Harbour need not look beyond their incompetence inside Canterbury’s 22m when they go looking for answers to their demise.
The North Islanders spent almost seven minutes inside the redzone in the first half alone, yet could only muster five points as they went to the sheds down 17-5.
They had also outgained the hosts 235m to 107m, particularly churning out metres through first five-eighth Shaun Stevenson.
But Stevenson also missed a few shots at goal, while the visitors weren’t helped by the early loss of No 8 Murphy Taramai to a suspected broken ankle inside the first 10 minutes.
Yet North Harbour shook the early blow off, dominating the first 20 minutes and forcing Canterbury to dig awfully deep defensively.
In typical red and black fashion, they absorbed the pressure and turned it into points at the other end, when centre Braydon Ennor took a sweet Mitch Drummond pass and powered over for his first try of the season to give the hosts a 10-0 lead after 27 minutes.
North Harbour hit back through Mark Telea, who shook off rookie Canterbury wing Dallas McLeod and squeezed inside the corner flag, before the hosts struck on the brink of halftime through fullback Josh McKay.
He can thank Brett Cameron for his 10 try of the season, considering the pivot uncorked a superb cross-field kick in the lead-up.
Highlighted by a cracking try to rookie Harbour wing Osea Qamasea, who soared high and collected a Stevenson cross-field kick, the visitors scored the first eight points of the second half to close the gap to 17-13 early in the second spell.
However, halfback Mitch Drummond put McKay in out wide for his 11th of the season as Canterbury pulled clear by 11 points, before the fullback was forced off with a leg injury suffered in the act of scoring.