Rugby: Canterbury ready to rock with big game edge

Canterbury captain Daryl Gibson hopes their proven track record in rugby finals will place them in good stead against Wellington in the NPC final at Jade Stadium on Saturday night.

Canterbury retained a strong core of players who had been with the Crusaders in their last three successful Super 12 campaigns, as well as with Canterbury in their 1997 NPC win, he said.

Wellington have not won the first division title since 1986, and last year was the first time they had reached the last four since the semifinals and final format was introduced in 1992.

The Hurricanes made the Super 12 semifinals just once.

In contrast, Canterbury, as well as taking three consecutive Super 12 titles, qualified for the NPC semifinals four times, and won the title on the only occasion they made the final.

"One of the major strengths of the Canterbury side is its experience," Gibson said yesterday.

"This is our fifth final in the last four years [including the Super 12] and we'll be calling on all that experience this week. The guys know what's required to win a final."

Any complacency Canterbury might have had after winning the Ranfurly Shield and finishing top qualifiers in the NPC has been removed by their recent hard-fought wins at Jade Stadium, and Wellington's crushing win over defending champions Auckland last Friday.

Canterbury showed signs of tiredness when they beat Otago by three points, Northland by six and Taranaki, in the semifinal, by eight.

With Canterbury being the top guns, other teams had been keen to knock them from their pedestal in recent weeks.

"I don't know whether you can say they've played above themselves, but they've certainly come to Jade Stadium and taken it to us in both the forwards and backs," Gibson said.

"In the last two or three matches I don't think we've shown what we're capable of."

Wellington have been the only team to topple Canterbury in the NPC this year, but Gibson said little could be read into that first round result because the teams had undergone "quite substantial changes in personnel."

"What doesn't change, however, is the fundamentals. And the tactics don't change a helluva lot. We know each other's play. We're acutely aware of Wellington's strengths, but we're focusing on our game."

Gibson said Wellington's star-studded back four of Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Tana Umaga and Alama Ieremia made them the best attacking side in the country.

"Wellington are a team of considerable potential and they're hitting top form."

The ankle injury to Canterbury fullback Leon MacDonald has kept him out of contention, but fellow All Black Mark Robinson might be considered after making steady progress with his knee injury.

- NZPA