Siti slicker than the rest

Waikato's Sitiveni Sivivatu runs down the wing. Sandra Mu / Getty Images

Waikato 36 Canterbury 22

This was a win to savour.

Amid murmurings of uneven Air New Zealand Cup contests, this was a heavyweight battle to relish.

Waikato were well worth the win, but Canterbury, even if they were off colour more often than not, made a significant contribution.

If Waikato sought inspiration, they could have thought of the heroes of 1956 watching from the stands.

Fifty years on from their famous win over South Africa on the same ground, the old men may have allowed their minds to drift back over the middle half hour of the first half as they saw Waikato thunder into their work in much the same manner they did all those years ago.

The first few minutes were a shambles for the hosts but they showed a game can still be won with old virtues of spirit and tenacity even when the lineout is dysfunctional.

Hooker Scott Linklater's first three lineout throws went wrong - by halftime five throws had gone awry - and early on they missed tackles and missed their touchfinders.

When Caleb Ralph finished off a simple, yet damaging movement across the field in the third minute, there were ominous signs.

But suddenly Waikato found inspiration, and much of it stemmed from Sitiveni Sivivatu.

He's had a grim time getting back to full fitness after injuring himself at the end of the Super 14. But at his best, Sivivatu is a slashing footballer and he showed last night he's finding his best form.

He slipped a bit in the second half and a rapid callup for Eden Park next Saturday might be a stretch, but a place on the plane to South Africa must be a consideration.

The opening Waikato try came when a scrum, in which loosehead prop Craig West was impressive, swivelled right, No 8 Liam Messam flipped the ball up to halfback Brendon Leonard, another strong performer, and he had Sivivatu in support for the inside pass and run to the line.

Three more tries followed in a marvellous 17 minutes as Canterbury doubtless wondered what had struck them.

The forwards won a turnover and Sivivatu cleverly grubbered through for centre Richard Kahui to score.

Five minutes later Kahui had his second after Sivivatu had caught a high ball at halfway, shrugged off a tackle, sped through the Canterbury line and would have scored but for a despairing ankle tap by Stephen Brett. Stephen Donald carried it on and Kahui gathered and dived over from close range.

Only stout Canterbury defence prevented Messam scoring near the right corner before Marty Holah made ground off just the second lineout win, in the 33rd minute. When the ball reached Donald he brushed past Mose Tuiali'i as if brushing a fly off his nose.

Casey Laulala kept Canterbury alive with a clever try, running a good angle just on halftime.

Waikato were forced to mount a defensive operation for much of the second half as Canterbury fought desperately to regain the initiative.

Laulala got his second try 17 minutes from the end when replacement Dwayne Sweeney fell off a tackle. Indeed Laulala and Cameron McIntyre both found space in the Waikato midfield defensive line.

But Waikato hung on grimly.

Steven Bates, Toby Lynn, Messam and Holah did sterling defensive work to ensure they kept their noses in front and when Canterbury launched a late attack from their own line and fumbled a couple of minutes from the end, Messam plunged for the try.

Canterbury? Kevin O'Neill and Craig Clarke had a picnic at the lineouts, Ben Blair ever threatening, but the promising Brett was patchy and they could not muster the wherewithal to topple their hosts.

Just like 1956, it was Waikato's game.

Waikato 36: R. Kahui 2, S. Sivivatu, S. Donald, L. Messam tries; Donald 1 pen, 4 con
Canterbury 22: C. Laulala 2, C. Ralph tries; B. Blair con, 2 con.
HT: 26-14