Taranaki upset pace-setting Canterbury

Editor

Premiership pace-setters Canterbury suffered their first defeat of the ITM Cup season as they went down 24-21 to Taranaki on home soil on Sunday.

The 'Naki's win means that only six points separates the top four sides in the Premiership, with Tasman and Auckland remaining in the mix after this result.

2014's champions' try-scorers were flanker Berny Hall, full-back Kurt Baker and second-row Blade Thomson while fly-half Codey Rei kicked 11 points.

Right wing Johnny McNicholl and replacement Marshall Suckling crossed for the Cantabs, who will be hugely disappointed not to take advantage of the Tasman Makos' 42-33 loss to Counties Manukau on Saturday.

The scorers:

For Canterbury:
Tries: McNicholl, Suckling
Cons: Taylor
Pens: Taylor 3

For Taranaki:
Tries: Hall, Baker, Thomson
Cons: Rei 3
Pen: Rei

Canterbury: 15 Tom Taylor, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Mitchell Dunshea, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Ged Robinson, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Ben Matwijow, 20 Tom Sanders, 21 Jack Stratton, 22 Cameron McIntyre, 23 Marshall Suckling.

Taranaki: 15 Kurt Baker, 14 Jackson Ormond, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Latu Vaeno, 10 Cody Rei, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Berny Hall, 6 Mitch Crosswell, 5 Blade Thomson, 4 Mitchell Brown, 3 Angus Taavao-Matau, 2 Hika Elliot, 1 Mitchell Graham.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Marshall, 17 Sione Lea, 18 Ryan Cocker, 19 Iopu Iopu-Aso, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 David Ormrod, 22 Liam McBride, 23 Sean Wainui.

Referee: Shane McDermott