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Canterbury (1) v Wellington (2),
7:35pm Saturday in Christchurch
Head-to-Head: Played: 162, Canterbury wins: 69, Wellington wins: 83, Draws: 10
Last Match: Canterbury beat Wellington 35-14 (Rd 5, 2009)
Last Season: Canterbury beat Wellington 7-6 in Christchurch
TAB: Canterbury $1.55, Wellington $2.35
http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/air-nz-...review-3115600
The last Air NZ Cup final as we know it pits two familiar foes in a final for the fourth time this decade.
Wellington though travel to AMI with a rather large monkey on their back. The Lions, unbelievably, have qualified for six finals in the last seven years but not once lifted the silverware.
However, this year is perhaps their best chance ever to break the finals hoodoo. The Canterbury side that will take the field has only six of the side that beat Wellington 7-6 in last year's final.
However, as Hawke's Bay discovered last Friday night, Canterbury -minus their All Blacks stars - are as formidable as ever. It was the same old story from Rob Penny's side as they suffocated the stuffing out of the Magpies with high pressure defence and pounced with two opportunistic tries that only they could have mustered.
And they too have motivations to boot. Canterbury will not only become the first red and black side to successfully defend their title, but a win will also send midfield stalwart Casey Laulala off on an appropriate note.
To avoid this scenario Wellington need to counter Canterbury's offensive defence with discipline in ball retention, attack at set-pieces and, most importantly, by playing the territory game through Piri Weepu's boot.
It might go against everything the Lions stand for but the two times Canterbury have fallen this season, to North Harbour and Bay of Plenty, they have been out manoeuvred by smart, opposition five eights. One of them is now an All Black.
Key: Redemption for all their final failures will have been a key motivation message in Wellington's build-up but how they channel this energy will decide their fate.
Tip: Canterbury
Canterbury: Colin Slade, Sean Maitland, Casey Laulala, Tim Bateman, Tu Umaga-Marshall, Stephen Brett, Tyson Keats, Nasi Manu, George Whitelock (captain), Michael Paterson, Isaac Ross, Samuel Whitelock, Peter Borlase, Ti'i Paulo, Andrew Olorenshaw.
Reserves: Steve Fualau, Rodney Ah You, Ash Parker, Matt Todd, Willi Heinz, Ryan Crotty, James Paterson.
Wellington: Apoua Stewart, David Smith, Alapati Leuia, Shaun Treeby, Hosea Gear, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Mathew Luamanu, Serge Lilo, Victor Vito, Daniel Ramsay, Jacob Ellison (captain), Anthony Perenise, Ged Robinson, John Schwalger.
Reserves: Dane Coles, Arden David-Perrot, Mark Reddish, Scott Fuglistaller, Fa'atonu Fili, Robert Fruean, Daniel Kirkpatrick.
---------- Post added at 17:18 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 18:17 ----------
Red and Blacks triumph in Air NZ Cup finale
UPDATED 9:20PM Saturday Nov 07, 2009
Canterbury efficiently retained rugby's Air NZ Cup when they beat Wellington 28-20 at Christchurch tonight.
The defending champions virtually sealed their fifth national title when fullback Colin Slade scored two sparkling tries in the first half.
With first five-eighth Stepehn Brett converting one and slotting two penalties, a lethargic Wellington were left with a mountain to climb.
Their only score came when first five-eighth Piri Weepu booted a penalty.
Wellington, runners-up the last two years, were unable to find their rhythm as their opposition dominated the contact area and the scrums in the first 40 minutes.
Their attacks were dented by slow ball from their rucks which Canterbury's pack attacked en masse.
Slade was outstanding in the first half -- he took every high bomb Wellington sent in his direction and was always an option for the man with the ball in free play.
His first try came when a promising Wellington attack sparked by wing David Smith was snuffed out in a turnover and lock Sam Whitelock found the fullback at his shoulder.
Slade easily galloped 60 metres unchallenged for his score.
The second try came when the ball sped across the backline from a lineout and hit Slade as he chimed in at pace to beat the defence from close range.
Weepu, with two inexperienced midfielders in Shaun Treeby and Alapati Leuia, outside him was unable to find any gaps to exploit and the ball rarely reached his wings. Smith was busy, but Hosea Gear never got into the game.
With an ample supply of ammunition, Canterbury's backs, celebrating centre Casey Laulala's final match before taking up a contract in Japan, ran with panache throughout the game.
Wellington came out with more intensity for the second half as they chased the scoreboard.
Wellington coach Jamie Joseph sent on hard running Dane Coles for hooker Ged Robinson, Fa'atonu Fili for fullback Apoua Stewart, and Scott Fuglistaller for No 8 Mathew Luamanu early in the second half.
The trio added some much needed spark as Wellington abandoned the kicking game and proved more of a threat with ball in hand.
Centre Alapati Leuia ghosted into the Canterbury backline for an intercept try in the 54th minute which lifted Wellington.
But Canterbury's reply was eloquently delivered by wing Sean Maitland in the 60th minute, finishing off an elegant 40 metre run that left three tacklers for dead for an unconverted try.
Aided by the sin-binning of Slade in the 66th minute, Wellington scored a penalty off Weepu and then a converted try by Fuglistaller.
But the Canterbury defence held a desperate Wellington out as the time ticked down and Brett sealed the triumph with a 77th minute penalty.
Wellington skipper Jacob Ellison was left ruing his side's slow start.
` I've got nothing to say about that first half -- just let us down I think when we didn't fire as much as we wanted.
`We tried to play them at the kicking game but we weren't getting any ball from the rucks (in that first half) so we started shifting the ball (in the second half) and it paid off but it was just too little too late.'
Canterbury captain George Whitelock paid tribute to Wellington's fightback.
`It was huge to get the seven-point start early. As you saw Wellington are a top side and came back at the end and we had to dig really deep.
`I'm so proud of everyone tonight. We put it on the line tonight and we come through.'
Canterbury 28 (Colin Slade 2, Sean Maitland tries; Stephen Brett 3 pen, 2 con) Wellington 20 (Alapati Leuia, Scott Fuglistaller tries; Piri Weepu 2 pen, 2 con). Halftime: 18-3.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news...ectid=10607927
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