Otago show Aucklanders

Otago 24 Canterbury 19

Name the NPC team with the best defence: Canterbury. Name the side expert at absorbing pressure before cracking opponents like dropped china: Canterbury. Name New Zealand's premier rugby team over recent years, who had key All Blacks back to bolster their ranks: Canterbury. Now name the side 24-0 down to Otago after 26 minutes. You guessed it.

It was one of those days at Carisbrook yesterday when the universe seemed to have tilted on its axis. The sun shone; the crowds were back on the terraces when we are more used to seeing Carisbrook Canyon these days; and the Canterbury All Blacks - and not just those returning from R&R - seemed to have only a passing acquaintance with the need for defence, with Otago's bonus point victory vastly aiding their NPC semi-final campaign.

Canterbury have earned our admiration earlier this season for winning tight contests even when down in strength. While there has been a consistent feeling that someone was going to beat the red-and-blacks this year, there was no sign it would be in quite such a canter as Otago displayed in the first half yesterday.

Of course, you never beat Canterbury in a canter and the way they ground back into the match with second half tries to Richie McCaw and replacement halfback Andrew Ellis, showed that the Canterbury arteries still shift a lot of fuel to the Canterbury ticker.

Auckland may feel uncomfortable that Canterbury have now got the water out of their oil before Saturday's potential classic Ranfurly Shield challenge but they will also take hope that maybe this Canterbury side can be successfully attacked.

Certainly Otago proved so after 15 minutes of what started as a bit of a staring contest. Both sides played conservatively and both defences refused to blink. But then Canterbury's control slipped.

Otago first five Nick Evans headed off on one of his searing inside-outside breaks. Aaron Mauger, brought into first five after the Canterbury backline was reshuffled when Cameron McIntyre was injured, had a bit of a flap of the wrist at him. But Evans was gone like a leaf in a gale and his link with the excellent Neil Brew saw winger Matt Saunders score in the corner.

If that wasn't weird enough, Otago were back a couple of minutes later. This time Brew swerved past former All Black Casey Laulala after a good Evans pass gave him space - but Laulala's tackle had more to do with deference than defence. Then Brew did it again, dummying easily past fullback Ben Blair and covering flanker Reuben Thorne.

A few minutes later came complete proof that Canterbury's heads were in a place other than Carisbrook.

From a spilled Canterbury pass, Otago flanker Craig Newby gathered the ball. In normal circumstances, he would have been steamrollered shortly after hand had touched ball. However, he had time to prop, consider several options, wonder what the surf was like at St Kilda, and pass. Urgency seemed to be something reserved for ambulances in the Canterbury camp and Seilala Mapusua hared 50m - through a tackle by one Richie McCaw - to link with Saunders, Brew and Josh Blackie before Evans outpaced Scott Hamilton to the corner.

It was heady stuff, only slightly discredited by the fact that Canterbury's normally indomitable defence and will seemed to have melted away like the recent snow on the Port hills.

But the Cantabs reclaimed the laws of the usual after a good Laulala run led to No 8 Johnny Leo'o fending off a Newby tackle to score to end the first half 24-5.

They began to tighten the vice in the Canterbury way in the second half. McCaw added another try early in the second half after a lineout drive and Blair's conversion got them back to 24-12. Then came the Canterbury grind, the Ellis try and some truly heroic defence from Otago.

Newby had a terrific game, completely committed to ruck and maul, attack and defence and the front row of Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver and Canterbury reject Chris King had it over their Canterbury counterparts. In the backs, Mapusua continued his fine form, while Brew showed what a good fist he has made of the midfield.

But Auckland may not thank them if they have woken a sleeping giant.

Otago 24 (N. Brew 2, M.Saunders, N.Evans tries; Evans 2 con)
Canterbury 19 (J.Leo'o, R. McCaw, A. Ellis tries; B. Blair 2 con).

- HERALD ON SUNDAY