Stags are Shield champions... again

The Ranfurly Shield is going back to Invercargill. For the second time in two years Southland have beaten Canterbury to win the Log o’ Wood.

They won 22-19, in a pulsating clash, which was the first top rugby game held in Christchurch this year.

Ironically Canterbury beat Southland last season to win back the Shield, after the Stags had won it off them the year before..

James Wilson nailed the match-winning drop-goal with three minutes to play, after the Stags fought back from 16-9 at half-time.

Trailing 9-16 at half-time, Southland dominated the second half, giving Canterbury just a few scraps in this NPC premiership and Shield game.

Scott Cowan scored in the 60th minute to help give Southland the lead, before Tom Taylor levelled it at 19-all with a penalty for Canterbury.

It was a deserved win for the Southlanders who outmuscled the Canterbury pack in the second half and made the home team make four times the tackles the challenger did.

It was a turn about in form after Southland had lost its opening two games and Canterbury had picked up maximum points against Auckland.

“They really grunted it out and we couldn’t get our hands on the ball and that was the winning of the game for Southland,” Canterbury captain George Whitelock said.

Southland’s first defence will be against Counties Manukau on Friday.

* Manawatu put last year’s 77-8 massacre at the hands of Northland behind them to claim a hard-fought 30-22 bonus-point win in Palmerston North.

In a tight encounter at FMG Stadium that saw the lead change hands several times, it was the Turbos, playing their third game in a week, who came away with the points after tries to Aseli Tikoirotuma, Johnny Leota, Aaron Smith and Callum Gibbins.

Aaron Cruden kicked two penalties and two conversions, the last of which denied Northland a deserved point for finishing within seven of their opponents.

* They lost the scrums and were edged in the possession stakes, but the Bay of Plenty got past North Harbour in Mount Maunganui, winning 38-17.

Bolstered by outstanding breakdown work from flanks Sam Cane and Luke Braid, the Steamers scored four tries to two and eased away for an ultimately comfortable victory.

* A strong second-half performance has earned Auckland their first win of this year’s NPC, a 21-17 victory over Wellington in the capital.

Despite playing their third game in eight days it was the visitors who dominated for most of the second spell, although they had to hold out a late charging Lions side to muscle their way to victory in awful wet, windy and cold conditions at Westpac Stadium.

Scorers and scorers for all the Saturday matches:

Manawatu 30-22 Northland

The scorers:

For Manawatu:
Tries: Tikoirotuma, Leota, Smith, Gibbins
Cons: Cruden 2
Pens: Cruden 2

For Northland:
Tries: Payne, Eyre, Munro
Cons: Munro 2
Pen: Munro

The teams:

Manawatu: 15 Nehe Milne-Skudder, 14 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Frank Bryant, 11 Junior Tomasi Cama, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Hamish Gosling, 7 Callum Gibbins, 6 Nick Crosswell (captain), 5 Michael Fitzgerald, 4 Reece Robinson, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Rob Foreman, 1 Grant Polson.
Replacements: 16 Bryn Templeman, 17 Jared Brock, 18 Fraser Stone, 19 James Oliver, 20 Isaac Thompson, 21 Lewis Marshall, 22 Casey Stone, 23 David Te Moana.

Northland: 15 Jared Payne (captain), 14 Lachie Munro, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Aaron Bancroft, 11 Bryce Heem, 10 Jack McPhee, 9 Rhyan Caine, 8 Cameron Eyre, 7 Joel McKenty, 6 Dan Faleafa, 5 Marty Veale, 4 Mark Burman, 3 Scott Vessey, 2 Ross Wright, 1 Matt Wallis.
Replacements: 16 Tim Dow, 17 Tevita Vaipulu, 18 Cam Goodhue, 19 Dan Pryor, 20 Wanye Ngaluafe, 21 Ash Moeke, 22 Simon Munro, 23 Justin Davies.

Referee: James McPhail

Canterbury 19-22 Southland (RS)

The scorers:

For Canterbury:
Tries: Osborne, Maitland
Pens: Taylor 3

For Southland:
Try: Cowan
Con: Wilson
Pens: Wilson 4
DG: Wilson

The teams:

Canterbury: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Tom Taylor, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock (captain), 5 Luke Romano, 4 Ash Parker, 3 Andrew Olorenshaw, 2 Paul Ngauamo, 1 Paea Fa’anunu.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Nepo Laulala, 18 Reuben Thorne, 19 Brendon O’Connor, 20 Mark Swanepoel, 21 Tyler Bleyendaal, 22 Johnny McNicholl, 23 Sam Cottam.

Southland: 15 Robbie Robinson, 14 Glen Horton, 13 Kendrick Lynn, 12 Matt Saunders, 11 Tim Cornforth, 10 James Wilson, 9 Scott Cowan, 8 Elliot Dixon, 7 Tim Boys, 6 John Hardie, 5 Joe Tuineau, 4 Josh Bekhuis, 3 Chris King, 2 Jason Rutledge, 1 Jamie Mackintosh (captain).
Replacements: 16 David Hall, 17 Nick Barrett, 18 Ben Nally, 19 Kaleni Taituli, 20 Sonny Rangitohereri, 21 Scott Eade, 22 James Lew or Tony Koonwaiyou, 23 Michael Peterson.

Referee: Jonathan White

Bay of Plenty 38-17 North Harbour

The scorers:

For Bay of Plenty:
Tries: Masaga 2, Cane, Smith
Cons: Noakes 3
Pens: Noakes 4

For North Harbour:
Tries: Luamanu, Rei
Cons: Botica, Walker
Pen: Botica

The teams:

Bay of Plenty: 15 Toby Arnold, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Phil Burleigh, 12 Jason Hona, 11 Ben W Smith, 10 Chris Noakes, 9 Taniela Moa, 8 Colin Bourke (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Luke Braid, 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Leon Power, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 John Pareanga, 1 Bronson Murray.
Replacements: 16 Daniel Perrin, 17 Pingi Tala’apitanga or Tristan Moran, 18 Leighton Price, 19 Carl Axtens, 20 Jamie Nutbrown, 21 Daniel Waenga, 22 Lance MacDonald, 23 Greg Pleasants-Tate.

North Harbour: 15 Willie Walker, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 Nafi Tuitavake, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 David Raikuna, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Chris Smylie (captain), 8 Mat Luamanu, 7 Scott Uren, 6 Solomon King, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 James King, 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 James Parsons, 1 James Afoa.
Replacements: 16 Manu Leiataua, 17 Taione Vea, 18 Chris Smith, 19 Brent Wilson, 20 Brenton Helleur, 21 Brendon Watt, 22 Codey Rei, 23 Michael Field.

Referee: Grant Stuart

Wellington 17-21 Auckland

The scorers:

For Wellington:
Tries: Coles, Thrush
Cons: Sopoaga 2
Pen: Sopoaga

For Auckland:
Tries: Hughes, Piutau
Con: Anscombe
Pens: Anscombe 3

The teams:

Wellington: 15 Apoua Stewart, 14 Jason Woodward, 13 Alipate Leiua, 12 Michael Hobbs, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Piri Weepu/TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Faifili Levave, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Jeremy Thrush (captain), 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Jacob Ellison.
Replacements: 16 Motu Matu’u, 17 Arden David-Perrot, 18 Api Naikatini, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Perenara or Frae Wilson, 21 Michael Lealava’a, 22 Lote Raikabula, 23 Whetu Henry.

Auckland: 15 Brent Ward, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Charles Piutau, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Sean Polwart, 6 Nathan Hughes, 5 Josh Townsend, 4 Steve Luatua, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Tevita Mailau.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Richard Haddon, 19 Onosai’i Auva’a, 20 Auvasa Faleali’i, 21 Piers Francis, 22 George Moala, 23 Angus Ta’avao.

Referee: Glen Jackson