News

Stags denied home quarter-final

October 03 2008

Southland have missed out on hosting their first ever Air New Zealand Cup quarter-final after going down 6-25 to Canterbury at Rugby Park on Friday.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for the Stags, who still reach the play-offs but will have to wait until Sunday on other results that will ultimately decide their final position on the table.

Canterbury controlled play throughout the match, dominating both possession and territory to build a handy 13-0 advantage at half-time.

The first try came in the sixteenth minute after Canterbury had put together a series of attacks. Getting the ball on the front foot, All Blacks scrum-half Andy Ellis passed inside to winger James Paterson who ran straight and hard to beat the Southland defence to cross for a fine touchdown.

Canterbury fly-half Colin Slade kicked the conversion and had an opportunity to extend his team's lead a few minutes later with a penalty shot at goal, but pushed his attempt wide.

Slade's opposite number Robbie Robinson also failed with his penalty attempt, meaning that Canterbury continued to lead 7-0.

But the penalties continued to roll in and after 30 minutes, Slade made no mistake and Canterbury went ahead 10-0.

Both teams were not as disciplined as they should have been and it resulted in a yellow card each for props Chris King of Southland and Peter Borlase of Canterbury just before half-time.

As a result Canterbury were awarded another penalty which allowed Slade yet another chance at three points from 60 meters out, but although the ball had the distance, it was just to the right.

With five minutes remaining in the first half, the home side were again penalised for infringing at a ruck just in front of their own posts. Slade made sure of the penalty this time and the Red and Blacks were ahead 13-0 at half-time.

The second half started the same way as the first with both teams unable to penetrate one another's defence and instead, resorted to kicking for territory.

In the 56th minute, Southland finally got on the board when Robinson kicked a penalty in front of the posts.

Canterbury's reaction was to attack from a line-out where the patient visitors drove forward only for replacement scrum-half Tyson Keats to bag a clinical five-pointer.

The try was soured somewhat by a neck injury to big Canterbury number eight Mose Tuiali'i, who was eventually stretchered from the field.

Canterbury captain Kieran Read scored his side's third and final try after a very strong break from Casey Laulala, who marked a healthy return from a long injury lay-off.

Slade's conversion hit the post and dipped over for the extra two points.

With eight minutes remaining and the game all but sealed by the visitors, replacement pivot Blair Stewart narrowed Canterbury's lead to 19 points with Southland's second penalty of the match.

The scorers:

For Southland:

Pens: Robinson, Stewart

For Canterbury:

Tries: Paterson, Keats, Read

Cons: Slade 2

Pens: Slade 2

Yellow cards: King, punching (Southland, 36 min); Borlase, punching (Canterbury, 36 min); Whitelock, professional foul (Canterbury, 52 min)

Southland: 15 Mark Wells, 14 Willie Rickards, 13 Matt Saunders, 12 Jason Kawau, 11 Pehi Te Whare, 10 Robbie Robinson, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Dion Bates, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Hoani Macdonald, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Joe Tuineau, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (c).

Replacements: 16 Matt Holloway, 17 Micheal Peterson/Fai Mika, 18 Daniel Ramsay, 19 Pete Copeland, 20 Scott Cowan, 21 Blair Stewart, 22 Tane Puki.

Canterbury: 15 Scott Hamilton, 14 James Paterson, 13 Adam Whitelock, 12 Hamish Gard, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andrew Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 George Whitelock, 6 Hayden Hopgood, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Peter Borlase.

Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Greg Somerville, 18 Isaac Ross, 19 Mose Tuiali'i, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Casey Laulala, 22 Tim Bateman.

Referee: Josh Noonan

TMO: Garratt Williamson