Rugby: Northland run Cantabs close

Canterbury 31
Northland 21

Upsets are the best thing about sport. There's little better than the minnow toppling the overwhelming favourite.

For 68 minutes, Northland threatened to snaffle the Ranfurly Shield off Canterbury and take it back to Whangarei. They refused to yield against their more fancied opponents, much like an annoying little brother trying to outdo his older sibling.

The Taniwha trailed 16-15 at halftime and were level 21-21 on the hour but just couldn't get their noses in front. They battled manfully even when Canterbury winger Sean Maitland scored his second try of the afternoon to give his side a 28-21 lead with 12 minutes remaining.

But Canterbury and the Crusaders have made an art form of resilience. They absorbed what Northland threw at them and then extended their lead through a late Stephen Brett dropped goal.

The result was the red-and-blacks' third successful Ranfurly Shield defence since taking it off Wellington and they have two more against Manawatu and Southland.

More importantly, though, Canterbury are now top of the table as the competition heads into the business end. They have lost only once since their surprise opening-round defeat to North Harbour and are now well poised to defend the title they won last season.

They will also feel warm and fuzzy about the fact their big guns Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn and Owen Franks will return if not next week, then the week after. Not bad artillery to call on.

It looked like Canterbury had things well in control yesterday when they opened up a 13-3 lead inside the first 20 minutes. Sam Whitelock scored from a well-worked Brett cross-field kick to the corner and the first five-eighth also added a couple of penalties.

But Northland refused to roll over and have their tummies scratched. They fed off scraps, forced a handful of turnovers, were disruptive at the lineouts and counter-attacked effectively. They were rewarded with a try to openside Joel McKenty after 25 minutes and McKenty added a second three minutes before the break to reduce the gap to one point.

They will, though, regret a moment's lapse in concentration. Just seconds into the second half, as most in the crowd were settling back into their seats in the Christchurch sunshine, they passed back inside their own 22 and kicked out on the full.

Maitland assessed the situation quickly and took a quick throw-in to Colin Slade and gratefully accepted the return pass as Northland's forwards trundled to where they thought the lineout would take place.

To their credit, Northland didn't lose heart and Lachie Munro kept them in touch with a couple of penalties.

That was until Maitland struck again after a sustained build-up left Northland short of numbers on the right wing.

The result leaves Northland 12th on the table. The fact four teams will be cut from next year's competition continues, as coach Bryce Woodward said, to "gnaw away at the back of your consciousness".

So will the fact they had their best chance of reclaiming the Log O' Wood since 1979.

Canterbury 31 (S. Maitland 2, S. Whitelock tries, S. Brett 2 pens, con, dg) Northland 21 (J. McKenty 2 tries, L. Munro 2 pens, con). HT: 16-15.