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A brilliant late try by right wing Losi Filipo ensured Wellington ended their ‘storm week’ in spectacular fashion in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.
Having defended the Ranfurly Shield against Tasman mid-week, Wellington could have arrived in the Garden City with tired legs and a desire to park themselves in front of the TV instead of getting the bash from a Canterbury team stacked with Super Rugby players at Apollo Projects Stadium.
There was also the matter of this being a replay of last year’s NPC final, which Wellington won at the same venue. Plenty for Canterbury to play for, in other words.
Wellington endured, but they had to work for it as they continued their winning run in dramatic fashion. They are now five from five. When you take that into account, you could excuse captain Peter Umaga-Jensen for dropping a stray F-bomb into the post-match speech on Sky Sport before he quickly apologised.
“I can’t believe we actually did this. It’s unreal,” a rapt Umaga-Jensen said.
Peter Meecham/Getty Images
Losi Filipo from Wellington breaks the tackles of Fergus Burke, left, and Rameka Poihipi of Canterbury during the match in Christchurch.
Left wing Blair Murray scored a hat-trick for Canterbury before he was replaced by debutant Solomon Alaimalo mid-way through the second half, the former proving he’s in the zone when it comes to sniffing out tries.
Filipo’s try in the 74th minute was a consequence of midfielder Umaga-Jensen making a break, down the right-hand channel to split the defence and create panic in the home team’s defensive line.
The game wasn’t without controversy. A try was given to Wellington openside flanker Sione Halalilo, who appeared to have failed to ground the ball in a desperate tackle by Canterbury captain Billy Harmon in the 54th minute.
Peter Meecham/Getty Images
Chay Fihaki and Blair Murray of Canterbury celebrate after Murray (right) scores one of his three tries.
Replays were enough to convince the officials, however, that Halalilo had wiped the ball on the grass, probably at the moment he crossed the line.
There could be no doubt about the five-pointer scored by the visitors soon after that effort, though. Even the most parochial Cantab would have had to applaud it.
Replacement playmaker Aidan Morgan handled twice during a movement that began on halfway, and having assessed his options off both shoulders he threaded his way through defenders and offloaded a peach of an inside pass to roaming halfback Kyle Preston.
Murray snared his third try a few minutes later, once again displaying his potency when he gets the scent of the tryline. Nifty work from first five-eighth Fergus Burke provided the opportunity for midfielder Dallas McLeod to canter into open space and a long pass provided Murray with a view of the tryline down the left flank.
He still had work to do, however, jinking inside two defenders to score.
The red and black forwards who took control in the following minutes as Wellington, having been reduced to 14 men when replacement lock Teofilo Paulo was in the sin bin, couldn’t pull the handbrake on a Canterbury driving maul and veteran hooker Ben Funnell scored.
With the scores locked at 31-31, it was another old head, former England test halfback Willi Heinz, who produced a decisive play about a minute later when he ruined an excellent attacking opportunity for Wellington by spoiling their scrum ball.
Canterbury, it seemed, had ripped back control. Umaga-Jensen shifted the game back in his team’s favour and Losi did the business.
Tasman, meanwhile, beat win-less North Harbour 20-15 in extra time in Nelson on Sunday. A try to Timoci Tavatavanawai ensured the Mako secured a victory, providing some consolation after losing 7-0 to Wellington in their shield challenge.
AT A GLANCE
NPC, Rd 4
At Central Energy Trust Stadium: Manawatū 31 (Leif Keil-Schwencke 2, TK Howden, Brayden Iose tries, penalty try; Brett Cameron 2 con) Northland 30 (Matt Moulds, Lisati Milo-Harris, Josh Moorby; Rivez Reihana 2 con, 2 pen, Daniel Hawkins con, pen) HT: 26-17
At Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: Otago 31 (Josh Whaanga Josh Dickson (2), Ajay Faleafaga, Finn Hurley tries; Hurley 3 con) Southland 21 (Michael Manson, Scott Gregory, Matt Whaanga tries; Dan Hollinshead 3 con). HT: 26-14
At Eden Park: Auckland 41 (Soane Vikena, Bryce Heem, Josh Beehre, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Akira Ioane, AJ Lam tries; Zarn Sullivan 3 con, pen, Jock McKenzie con) Hawke’s Bay 22 (Lincoln McClutchie, Tom Parsons, Hisamitsu Shimada tries; McClutchie 2 con, pen). HT: 15-15
At Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth: Bay of Plenty 29 (Ngarohi McGarvey-Black 2, Kurt Eklund, Leroy Carter tries: Lucas Cashmore 3 con, pen) Taranaki 26 (Stephen Perofeta, Kini Naholo, Teihorangi Walden, Michael Bent tries; Perofeta 3 con) HT: 19-19
At Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch:
Wellington 36 (Josh Southall, Losilosivale Filipo, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Sione Halalilo, Kyle Preson, Losi Filipo tries; Sam Clarke 3 con) Canterbury 31 (Blair Murray 3, Cullen Grace, Ben Funnell tries; Fergus Burke 3 con). HT: 17-5
At Trafalgar Park, Nelson: Tasman 20 (Timoci Tavatavanawai 2, Feleti Mafielo, Macca Springer tries) North Harbour: 15 (Tevita Mafileo, Oscar Koller, Henry Taefu tries. HT: 10-5
At FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton: Waikato 37 (Cortez Ratima, Daniel Sinkinson (2), Quinn Tupaea tries, penalty try; Tepaea Cook-Savage 2 con, 2 pen) Counties Manukau 15 (Tevita Ofa, Etene Nanai-Seturo tries, Riley Hohepa con, pen) . HT: 6-8
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