Mountain getting steep for Taniwhas

By WYNNE GRAY

CANTERBURY 44 NORTHLAND 17

It was almost more of the same for Northland.

They fell to their fifth successive NPC defeat in Christchurch tonight, and while they competed better they were never going to crack the Canterbury champions.

The only difference was that Fijian flyer Rupeni Caucaunibuca made the scoresheet for the first and second time this season.

Northland supporters will wonder why their side have ignored the wing in most of their matches when he showed, given a chance, his uncanny try-scoring ability.

Last year he was a demon, this year anonymous, probably claiming frostbite he was used so little by his colleagues.

He was so unemployed for most of last night's Ranfurly Shield challenge he decided to emulate his captain Glenn Taylor who had burrowed over from a maul in the first half.

As Northland battled into a blustery second-half wind, chugging towards the tryline, Caucaunibuca melted into the middle and then burrowed across the line.

His switch was flicked. Ten minutes later he had another when he retrieved a chipkick out of his 22 and outflanked the Canterbury cover in an 80m sprint. It just added to the mystery of why his attacking gifts have been ignored this season.

His tries were rare Northland gems in a match where his side's restricted style of punching the ball up with their pack was not going to fully embarrass Canterbury. It was only going to offer them defensive practice.

Northland had three tries but no bonus point to open their account for this season and remain bottom of the table. They also lost their captain with some knee damage, an injury they hope will be minor with some crucial relegation tussles ahead.

They got the first break when they discovered Canterbury first five-eighths Andrew Mehrtens would not be playing.

The All Black pivot had struggled with back spasms for much of the week and could not front for his side, who were looking to repair the damage of last week's defeat by Waikato.

It was probably a good game to miss for Mehrtens.

He would have lost interest in an ugly match spoiled by repeated scrum infringements, rain and a very awkward wind.

The impression was that Canterbury did as much as they had to.

When necessary, they upped the tempo to show the combinations and support play which makes them such a threat across the field. The Mauger brothers, Joe Maddock and replacement five-eighths Daniel Carter were potent attackers, their pack efficient enough against a gallant Northland eight.

Canterbury (A Mauger 2, N Mauger, D Carter, R McCaw, M Robinson, J Maddock tries; B Blair pen, 3 con).

Northland (R Caucaunibuca 2, G Taylor tries; R Finch con)

Halftime 20-7.