Canterbury brush aside BoP

Canterbury moved top of the ITM Cup table on Friday after they recorded a hard-fought 28-9 victory over Bay of Plenty at AMI Stadium.

Canterbury moved top of the ITM Cup standings on Friday after they recorded a hard-fought 28-9 victory over Bay of Plenty at AMI Stadium.

The visitors were only one point behind their big-name hosts at half-time but then fine scores from Matt Todd and Robbie Fruean sealed it.

Fly-half Mike Delany had opened matters on three minutes with a penalty before Stephen Brett was unable to equalise from the tee soon after.

And then came the moment that the whole of New Zealand had been waiting for. Sonny Bill Williams made his first appearance in the infamous red and black when Ryan Crotty was forced from the field with a turned ankle on seventeen minutes.

The sizeable centre's emergence did not have an immediate effect on the game though as Delany doubled the lead on 20 minutes before Brett pulled one back with another shot.

Canterbury then began to find their rhythm as phases mounted up on the Bay of Plenty line. And the pressure finally told when number eight Nasi Manu crashed over right under the uprights. Brett's assured conversion made the scores 10-6.

Delany did cut the lead back to just one point before the turnaround but the hosts came out in fearsome form after the break. First it was busy winger Tu Umaga-Marshall who almost went over the line, Brett adding a three-point consolation onto the total.

And then came the moment that showed Williams in attacking action, his long pass to George Whitelock being flicked on from flank to flank to send Todd over.

Lelia Masaga did have a try disallowed on 66 minutes upon which Brett extended the scores to 21-9 before the game was eventually sewn up five minutes later.

The impressive Fruean found some real estate upon which to motor and he used his strength to seal the points that moved Canterbury to the summit, temporarily at least.

The scorers:

For Canterbury:
Tries: Manu, Todd, Fruean
Con: Brett 2
Pen: Brett 3

For Bay of Plenty:
Pens: Delany 3

Canterbury: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Tu Umaga-Marshall, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Telusa Veainu, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 George Whitelock (c), 6 Matt Todd, 5 Isaac Ross, 4 Sam Whitelock, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Steve Fualau, 17 Peter Borlase, 18 Luke Romano, 19 Ash Parker, 20 Takerei Norton, 21 Sam Monaghan, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.

Bay of Plenty: 15 Toby Arnold, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Brett Mather, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Ben Smith, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Taniela Moa, 8 Colin Bourke (c), 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Luke Braid, 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Luke Andrews, 3 James McGougan, 2 Dan Perrin, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Simon Chisholm, 17 Tristan Moran 18 Luke Katene, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Chad Tuoro, 21 Daniel Waenga, 22 Jason Hona.

Referee: Garratt Williamson