CANTERBURY 35 WAIKATO 24
Canterbury's confidence received a timely boost from their win over Waikato in a Ranfurly Shield/first division match in Christchurch.
Canterbury's best performance of the season came a week before they defend the shield against Wellington.
Before Saturday's match, Canterbury had slid down the NPC standings and a third consecutive
loss would have been crippling to the side's future hopes.
"It's a massive boost to us, retaining the shield and getting five points," captain Ben Hurst said after the game at Jade Stadium when his team improved to third on the table.
"Otherwise it would have been a struggle to make the semis."
Hurst said the spur of holding on to the shield for a 22nd defence had been largely responsible for the team's vast improvement.
"A lot of players across the country want to have a crack at this thing, but we have it and we take a lot of pride in that," Hurst said.
"But it doesn't get any easier."
"Wellingtonians would probably be the only people in the country, outside Christchurch, who wanted us to win today," he quipped.
First five-eighths Andrew Mehrtens, a late inclusion after being sidelined with a thigh injury, said the result and the manner in which it was achieved meant a lot to the players.
"Performance-wise it was massive," he said, looking at the confidence the win had injected into the team.
Mehrtens praised the way the forward pack had protected the inside backs around rucks and mauls.
He explained how the late decision had been made for him to play, even being apologetic for the fact that he had to wait so late "to put my hand up for selection."
"On Thursday, I could hardly run at all at training," he said.
"By Friday, I was able to train in the short captain's run and we thought that, if it had made enough improvement by today [Saturday], I could start."
Waikato coach Ian Foster said his side were simply outplayed.
"We got outsmarted."
Waikato captain Jono Gibbes said he thought his pack had won enough possession and territoryto take the game.
"[But] we got beaten by a better team."
Canterbury's win came at a cost, with a chest injury to centre Casey Laulala almost certainly costing him the chance of playing against Wellington.
Flanker Johnny Leo'o sprained an ankle and will be rested from training early this week, as will Mehrtens, who was forced from the field just after halftime with an injured left hamstring.
Scott Robertson's head injury improved rapidly and no further problems seem likely.
- NZPA
NPC points table
