Canterbury qualify top, store away Ranfurly Shield

Daniel Carter returns to rugby after injury, during the NPC first division/Ranfurly Shield rugby match between Canterbury and Auckland. Ross Land / Getty Images

There was a double bonus for Canterbury when they repulsed Auckland 27-12 in an NPC first division rugby match in Christchurch tonight.

The result saw Canterbury place the Ranfurly Shield safely under lock and key for another season and also confirmed them as top qualifiers for next week's semifinals.

That was nothing short of their due after a compelling performance which saw them lead 17-0 at halftime to quickly suffocate the Auckland challenge.

Auckland fired up more in the second half but were held tryless by a side who performed the basics well and took their chances to score four tries and secure a bonus point.

Canterbury's scratchy effort in losing to Otago a week earlier was but an illusion as they immediately showed they had turned up to play tonight, with fullback Ben Blair opening the scoring in the third minute.

Blair was given the space to find the tryline after finding himself on the receiving end of some quick passes following a strong surge by No 8 Mose Tuiali'i, who had a storming match.

With their forwards offering a physically imposing platform, Canterbury effectively kept Auckland's dangerous backs quiet, although the challengers were left to rue a succession of handling lapses which stymied their game.

Canterbury's second try came in the 25th minute when hooker Corey Flynn dived over a ruck on the line to touch down.

Five minutes later they were in again, this time captain Reuben Thorne accepting the final pass from first five-eighth Dan Carter after wing Caleb Ralph cut a hole in the midfield before Canterbury moved the ball to the right where they outnumbered Auckland.

Blair's conversion extended the advantage to 17-0 then Auckland bombed a number of attacks as fullback Brent Ward twice dropped the ball in promising situations.

A series of penalties shortly after the halftime break saw Auckland reduce the deficit to 12-20 as the visitors forced Canterbury into error.

They began holding on to the ball, enabling them to offer multiphase attacks and thus pressuring the home side, who responded by infringing on a regular basis.

Ward picked up the pieces, slotting four penalties to bring his side to within eight points after 60 minutes before Canterbury were temporarily reduced to 14 men when Flynn was sinbinned for constant infringing by referee Paul Honiss.

But the result was settled in the 67th minute when Tuiali'i burst 20m to create space for wing Scott Hamilton to score.

Carter's sideline conversion saw Canterbury in front 27-12 and capped a fine return to action for the All Blacks pivot, who broke a leg almost seven weeks ago.

Canterbury 27

(Ben Blair, Corey Flynn, Reuben Thorne, Scott Hamilton tries; Dan Carter pen, con, Blair con)

Auckland 12

(Brent Ward 4 pen).

Halftime: 17-0

- NZPA