Preview: Canterbury v Tasman

Tasman have it all to do when they take on defending champions Canterbury in this year's Mitre 10 Cup Final in Christchurch on Saturday.

As New Zealand's newest provincial union – after being formed in 2005 – Tasman head into this fixture as overwhelming underdogs against their neighbours Canterbury, who have won this tournament on 13 occasions and eight times over the last nine years.

That includes last year's final when the Cantabrians beat Tasman 43-27 in an entertaining final at the same venue. The Makos also featured in the 2014 final and on that occasion they fell short again when they were beaten by Taranaki.

After the Crusaders' successful Super Rugby campaign it is fitting that Canterbury and Tasman face off in the final for the second consecutive year as these two sides are the provinces which form the Crusaders region.

Apart from their win in last year's final, Canterbury kicked off their 2017 campaign in style when they claimed an emphatic 39-0 victory over the Makos in Nelson.

After that result, Tasman also lost to Championship outfit Manawatu before slowly picking up the pace as the season progressed and eventually sneaked into the play-offs where they claimed a shock 30-29 win over regular season table-toppers Taranaki.

But despite his side's slow start, Tasman skipper Alex Ainley believes they have what it takes to cause an upset this weekend.

"We've grown a lot since then (the season opener against Canterbury), we know that," he said.

"We were pretty confident going into that first one, we learnt a few lessons and we're pretty confident going into this weekend too." 

Canterbury, by contrast continued their fine form as the season progressed and after beating Tasman comfortably in their tournament opener, they continued on a remarkable run of victories before suffering their first loss in Round Eight against Taranaki.

Despite their easy win over the Makos earlier this year, Canterbury scrum-half Jack Stratton is not underestimating his opponents and excited by the prospect of facing Tasman in the final.

"A Canterbury, Tasman clash is always tough," he said. 

"Whether it's true or not, the big brother – little brother {situation) fuels them a bit to go a bit extra on the field.

"We know the threats they pose and it's going to be a ding-dong (battle). We just can't wait." 

Ones to watch:

For Canterbury: After being part of the All Blacks set-up for their recent Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane, Richie Mo'unga was not named in the world champions' 37-man squad for their upcoming tour to Europe. That means he should be highly motivated for this encounter and another polished display will be a timely reminder to All Blacks coach Steve Hansen of his capabilities. Mo'unga possesses an impressive skill-set and is an accurate goalkicker. His performance should have a huge bearing on this fixture's outcome. 

For Tasman: After impressing for several years for Tasman, as well as the Chiefs in Super Rugby, James Lowe is leaving New Zealand to further his career with PRO14 heavyweights Leinster after this match. The 24-year-old's departure will be keenly felt by the Makos as he is a brilliant finisher and a genuine game-breaker. Tasman's free-flowing style of play suits him to a tee and he will be determined to leave the province on a high by helping them secure victory.

Head-to-head:  The battle at the base of the scrum, between Canterbury captain Luke Whitelock and Tasman's Jordan Taufua should be a riveting one as both players are very influential and important to their respective teams' causes. Whitelock's an old-fashioned loose forward who thrives on the physical nature of the game and also has impressive leadership skills which will be important to the champions' cause. Taufua is a superb athlete who usually shines on attack and defence, and he also has a high work-rate. If he builds up a head of steam, he should prove a handful. 

Prediction: With this match being played in Christchurch, it's difficult to look past the home side. Canterbury by seven!

The teams:

Canterbury: 15 George Bridge, 14 Josh McKay, 13 Tim Bateman, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Braydon Ennor, 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Mitchell Drummond, 8 Luke Whitelock (c), 7 Billy Harmon, 6 Tom Sanders, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Hamish Dalzell, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Ben Funnell, 1 Alex Hodgman 
Replacements: 16 Nathan Vella, 17 Chris Gawler, 18 Oliver Jager, 19 Reed Prinsep, 20 Tom Christie, 21 Jack Stratton, 22 Brett Cameron, 23 Inga Finau

Tasman: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Tomas Aoake, 13 Levi Aumua, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 James Lowe, 10 Mitchell Hunt, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Vernon Fredericks, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Shannon Frizell, 4 Alex Ainley (c), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Andrew Makalio, 1 Siua Halanukonuka 
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Tom Hill, 18 Ryan Coxon/Drew Patelo, 19 Pari Pari Parkinson, 20 Pete Samu/Braden Stewart, 21 Billy Guyton/Ben Finau, 22 Tim O'Malley, 23 Trael Joass

Date: Saturday, October 28
Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Kick-off: 19:35 local (06:35 GMT)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Nick Briant, Danny Morrison
TMO: Shane McDermott