Log o' Wood stays in Christchurch

With the scores level at half-time, Canterbury managed to accelerate their way past a determined Taranaki outfit and win 29-17, retaining the Ranfurly Shield in the process.

With the scores level at half-time, Canterbury managed to accelerate their way past a determined Taranaki outfit and win 29-17 on Friday, retaining the Ranfurly Shield in the process.

Handling errors from the home side left the scores tied 14-14 at the break, but ten points within four minutes of the restart blew the game open.

The hosts bagged four tries to gain the maximum five points required to move to the top of the Air New Zealand Cup table after eight rounds.

Canterbury's Sean Maitland was a real threat at full-back, scoring two tries while both wings – Tu Umaga-Marshall and James Paterson – touched down with one each.

A penalty to fly-half Stephen Brett was followed by a converted try to winger James Paterson after the ball went through several pairs of hands in a sweeping move to the left.

Maitland scored the try of the match, and his second, with 20 minutes remaining to virtually secure the outcome and a second successful shield defence following last week's win over Otago.

Brett doubled around brilliantly and his deft grubber was gathered by Maitland, whose bonus point try gave Canterbury the outright competition lead over Southland.

Taranaki were expected to provide the defending champions with a stern examination after winning their three previous matches, including a 20-year drought-breaking defeat of Wellington last weekend.

They were competitive at set piece and led 8-7 after 20 minutes when winger Shayne Austin crossed from a stolen line-out.

Fly-half Willie Ripia kicked their other points through four penalties but they couldn't contain the movement and clinical breakdown work of a Canterbury side seriously weakened by injury and All Blacks absentees.

The scorers:

For Canterbury:
Tries: Maitland 2, Umaga-Marshall, J Paterson
Cons: Brett 3
Pen: Brett

For Taranaki:
Try: Austin
Pens: Ripia 4

Canterbury: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Tu Umaga-Marshall, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Tim Bateman (c), 11 James Paterson, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Ash Parker, 7 Matt Todd, 6 Michael Paterson, 5 James Broadhurst, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 Peter Borlase, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Andrew Olorenshaw.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Rodney Ah You, 18 Nasi Manu, 19 Aaron McCoy, 20 Tyson Keats, 21 Adam Whitelock, 22 Chris Small.

Taranaki: 15 Jack Cameron, 14 Ed Jenkins, 13 Paul Perez, 12 Jayden Hayward, 11 Shayne Austin, 10 Willie Ripia, 9 Brett Goodin, 8 Jarrad Hoeata, 7 Scott Waldrom, 6 Johnny Willis, 5 Craig Clarke, 4 Leon Power, 3 Shane Cleaver, 2 Laurence Corlett, 1 Tony Penn (c).
Replacements: 16 James Hinchco, 17 Carl Carmichael, 18 Nemia Soqeta, 19 Ben Souness, 20 Bayden Phillips, 21 Nathan Hohaia, 22 Ace Malo.

Referee: Jonathon White