Rugby: Centre duo power Canterbury to victory

Robbie Fruean (C)of Canterbury pushes off the tackle of Pepa Koloamatangi of Counties Manukau. Photo / Getty Images

Canterbury got their latest Ranfurly Shield reign off to a winning start, beating Counties Manukau 39-21 at Christchurch today in their first defence since claiming the shield from Southland.

The bonus-point victory as good as sealed a home semifinal for the defending champions for whom midfield backs Robert Fruean and Sonny Bill Williams had too much class for Counties to contain, notwithstanding the leadership provided by Tana Umaga.

Billed as a clash between the master and the pupil from their time together at French club Toulon, Umaga would have been feeling his age when Williams broke his former mentor's tackle to score his side's second try.

Counties, despite missing the penetration of speedy fullback Tim Nanai-Williams, had an even share of the match early on but rushed passes proved costly as they turned ball over.

Canterbury rolled into their rhythm when first five Stephen Brett slipped the ball to Fruean thundering up on a diagonal run and the burly centre powered over for the first try in the 10th minute.

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Brett converted and added a penalty 11 minutes later for a 10-0 lead.

Umaga came closest to scoring for Counties but his legs failed him near the line and he was forced to push a pass which Canterbury cleaned up.

Williams try was slickly completed when the second five strode through Umaga's tackle for Brett to convert and give his side a 17-0 lead at halftime.

Counties Manukau's usually exuberant game was suffocated by strong Canterbury defence which left them few crumbs of possession with which to exploit and the pattern did not change in the second half.

A Brett penalty and a try by winger Telusa Veainu took Canterbury out to 25-0 before substitute lock Sileki Nabou scored a converted try after charging down a Brett clearance from inside the 22.

Williams popped again with a deft little kick through that Counties' Commonwealth Games sevens gold medal winning hero Sherwin Stowers was forced to deliberately tip out to stop Fruean scoring and in the process concede a penalty try.

All Black prop Owen Franks also got on the scoring sheet when he finished off a pack rumble before Stowers made amends with the first of two intercept tries for Counties as Canterbury began to throw the ball around in the dying minutes of the match.

Wing Ahsee Tuala got the other with first five Dean Cummings converting both for a final score of 39-21.

Canterbury 39 (Robert Fruean, Sonny Bill Williams, Telusa Veainu, Owen Franks tries; Stephen Brett 2 pen, 4 con; penalty try) Counties Manukau 21 (Sileki Nabou, Sherwin Stowers, Ahsee Tuala tries; Dean Cummings 3 con) Halftime: 17-0

- NZPA