News

Blackadder's money on Canterbury

October 14 2008

Tasman coach Todd Blackadder is in no doubt who his money is on to win the Air New Zealand Cup, having seen his team thumped by Canterbury in the tournament's opening quarter-final last week.

The Makos did brilliantly to make the play-offs considering all the off-field drama that was going on, but their campaign came to a crashing halt when going down 48-10 to their South Island neighbours.

Following their exit from the championship, losing coach Blackadder thinks the Cantabs have what it takes to go all the way in what is lined up to be a Wellington-Canterbury Air New Zealand Cup final on October 25.

If that is the case, Wellington's domination of the earlier round-robin phase would see them secure home advantage. But if anything, Canterbury is the team with the momentum going into the final two weeks of the provincial season.

Wellington have looked out of sorts at times over the last three weeks, including a tense Ranfurly Shield defence against Tasman and then the loss to Otago in the final match of round-robin play.

"I certainly think they've (Canterbury) got the class to win the Air New Zealand," Blackadder told The Press newspaper.

"There are really good signs, they look fresh, they're playing really good rugby. I think their defence has been outstanding and their ability to switch from defence to attack is just outstanding.

"I would say that they are definitely the form side and if they don't go on all the way to win it, it will be (because of) a one-off performance by someone else.

"But they certainly look like they're capable."

Not surprisingly his opposite, Rob Penney was not in a hurry to anoint his team as champions-elect.

"I've been in this position before," said Penney.

"We'll just take one step at a time.

"I've been encouraged all year by what I've seen, but you don't win it a fortnight out from the final. You've got to be in the final to have a crack at winning it and we're not there yet."