Cantabs rub Auckland noses in mud
EVEN SCOTT Robertson was flabbergasted by his players’ coldblooded attitude, as Canterbury demolished Auckland 48-9 at AMI Stadium yesterday.
When two National Provincial Championship heavyweights tangle in an opening match there is usually an expectation they’ll cautiously dance around one another and eventually slog it out deep into the final rounds.
Canterbury rubbished that theory. Instead, they cruelly worked over Auckland with such efficiency in the opening minutes that coach Robertson struggled to comprehend what he was witnessing.
‘‘I said to the boys I thought it was going to come down to the end of the game – to the last 15 minutes and who wanted it,’’ Robertson said afterwards.
His players certainly made him eat his words; lock Joel Everson and centre Adam Whitelock scored converted tries in the first 15 minutes and Auckland were to never score a try.
With 15 minutes left, flanker Matt Todd collected Canterbury’s fifth try by plunging over from a lineout drive – a skill he has carried over from the Crusaders’ campaign – and then right wing Patrick Osborne scored in the final moment to further grind the Aucks’ beaks in the dirt.
The loss of old campaigners such as former captain George Whitelock, Corey Flynn and Andy Ellis has sucked a large core of experience out of the side but new Canterbury: (Johnny McNicholl 2, Joel Everson, Adam Whitelock, Matt Todd, Patrick Osborne tries; Tyler Bleyendaal con, Richie Mo’unga con, Tom Taylor 4 con, 2 pen). Auckland: (Gareth Anscombe 3 pen). Ht: 27-6.
Rob Penney created this style of play and we are really clear on what we do, people know what we do and we just try to go out and have fun. Scott Robertson
skipper Willi Heinz made it clear this new era would start with a thundercrack.
The halfback caused great excitement among the 14,000- strong crowd when he bravely ran the ball from inside his own in-goal in the dying minutes and then created Osborne’s try with a brilliant bust as the clock wound down.
Robertson maintained that
the defending champions’ expansive game-plan, that often saw the ball being swung across the park, is here to stay.
‘‘We have played like this for the last six years. Rob Penney created this style of play and we are really clear on what we do.’’
Robertson praised hot performances by newcomers like loosehead prop Alex Hodgman and lock Scott Barrett but his mood was tempered by the facial injury to midfielder Tom Taylor.
‘‘ It looks like it could be a fractured eye socket. That could be from a couple of weeks to six weeks or an operation.’’
Auckland were expected to challenge the Cantabs with their vaunted backline of Charles Piutau, Francis Saili, George Moala and Lolagi Visinia but they proved a disappointment.
A lack of possession meant they were without the ball for long periods in the first half and it wasn’t until the second stanza that the Aucks started to mount any memorable attacks – but even then they couldn’t score a try.
‘‘Their kicking game was better than ours in the first half and we struggled to get out of our half,’’ lamented Auckland coach Paul Feeney.
‘‘You have a look at the territory and possession stats, which were heavily against us and the scoreline reflected that as well.’’
The reality was that by halftime there appeared little chance of Auckland clawing back from their 27- 6 deficit and, as the visitors tired in the second spell, they struggled with their execution.