Highlanders for Thompson
The rugby world is looking rosy for Canterbury midfielder Rob Thompson after two impressive charge down tries, a berth in the national provincial championship grand final and a Highlanders contract tucked in his back pocket.
The 24-year-old former Manawatu man is now the joint top tryscorer in the NPC with 10 touchdowns in 11 games, an honour shared with Auckland opposite number George Moala, who he will meet in next Saturday’s grand final in Christchurch.
Canterbury coach Scott Robertson was full of praise for Thompson’s razor-sharp reflexes after the first of his tries – a clean, bread basket catch – in the 46-20 NPC semifinal win over Taranaki at AMI Stadium last Saturday night.
‘‘His anticipation was sensational. New Zealand Cricket will be having a look at that catch, won’t they?,’’ he quipped.
Thompson has never played in a slips cordon, he didn’t dabble at cricket during his Manawatu boyhood but the catch of his life still stuck to his flypaper hands.
He also insisted he was as surprised as anyone when he grasped Taranaki’s rookie halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi’s kick at point blank range late in the first half to score under the posts.
‘‘I missed [Tahuriorangi] off a ruck, there, I was pretty gutted. I thought next time he’s got ball in hand, and there’s a bit of time, I’m going to get up and put a hit on, and Mitch [Drummond] cued me.’’
For his second, after the interval, Thompson caught Taranaki fullback Kurt Baker in two minds whether to run or kick.
He blocked his eventual kick and reacted quickest to the rebound.
It was sweet redemption for Thompson, who squandered a potential match winning try when Taranaki beat Canterbury in Christchurch in the round robin.
‘‘We all know that last time we played these guys we probably should have put them away, I will take that one on the chin for the boys.
He admitted his earlier error against Taranaki had smarted at the time.
‘‘I went away learning a lot more about myself. I learnt about trusting your teammates, I’m better for it.’’
Robinson made his NPC debut in 2013, but this has been his breakthrough year after a couple of seasons as a utility.
He has enjoyed settled gametime at second five-eighths and has been one of Canterbury’s major forces on attack, making 549 metres off 89 carries after beating 59 defenders.
Thompson confirmed after Saturday night that he is ‘‘heading down to Dunedin’’ to join the champion Highlanders on a twoyear Super Rugby deal after earlier playing for the Crusaders.