well, who would have thought ? cantabs are gone.
wonder who will face the mighty mooloo men in the final at Waikato stadium ?
the steamers or lions ?
certainly going to be an interesting weekend.....
So this is why Jerry Collins is so highly regarded in New Zealand rugby. In world rugby. And this is what happens when the world's best blindside flanker comes to the park with fire in his belly and a spring in his step.
Canterbury, reputedly a province that produces rugby talent off a conveyor belt, are eaten up and spat out, that's what. A supposedly classy outfit are made to look decidedly ordinary, that's also what.
In the end Wellington won this Air New Zealand Cup quarter-final contest by the unflattering margin of 36-23 to progress as the first side into next weekend's semifinals.
But, thanks to Jerry and several of his classy mates, this was a lot more comfortable than that final margin suggested. In fact this was a landslide victory which earmarks the Lions, who'd staggered rather than swaggered into the quarters, as genuuine title contenders.
It was five tries to two, it was 36-9 three-quarters of the way through this contest, it was one team playing with power and purpose and poise (Wellington) and the other chasing shadows pretty much the whole of the night.
Collins led the charge, as you've probably surmised, with a superb two-try effort. But it was a disaplay of much more than clinical finishing from this granite-hard blindside who stamped his mark all over this clash.
Collins' workrate was superb, the flanker running himself to a standstill. His finishing, clearly, was on the money. But his skillwork was also top-drawer, the in-the-zone No 6 puuttting in pinpoint grubbers, throwing wide cutout passes, grasping grass-burners at his toes. You name it, the man they call JC produced it in a heavenly performance.
But he had support. Ma'a Nonu dazzled with a wonderful all-round display that surely booked him a busy November up north, while Tana Umaga and Conrad Smith both showed their class, No 8 Rodney So'oialo finally banished the nightmare of Rustenburg with a superb performance, Neemia Tialata and Mo Schwalger were on fire, Ben Herring was a workhorse, Cory Jane chased everything and Luke Andrews revelled in a flowing contest with his athleticism.
Heck, the whole damn Lions outfit contributed. Ross Filipo had a storming match, Piri Weepu shrugged off a slow start to show Andy Ellis who's boss, Jimmy Gopperth was hardly disgraced by going up against Dan Carter and everyone else to a man did what was asked of them.
Yes, all the talk beforehand might have been about Canterbury's two world-class players, but it was Wellington's class acts who left their imprint all over this contest, none more so than Collins.
A fairly competitive sport of first half ended with the Lions leading 17-9, and perhaps a shade unlucky not to have a third try to show for their efforts right on the break when Filipo was close to a hairs's breadth from a touchdown in the left corner.
But really the first 40 only hinted at what was to come from the Lions who looked by far the likelier of the two sides, creating the greater of the scoring chances and doing a fairly good job of finishing pressure which mounted in daunting fashion on the outmatched visitors.
The Cantabs probably had their best spell of the match through the first quarter, at the end of which they led 6-0 via a couple of Daniel Carter penalties. Big Kevin O'Neill had also been a shade unlucky when a drive off a scrum went awful close but was ruled inconclusive by the TMO.
Pretty much from then on it was all Wellington, the Lions finishing the second quarter with two tries and a 17-3 run to take a 17-9 lead into the break.
Neemia Tialata had the first try 21 minutes in when he finished prolonged pressure (nine phases) with a powerful drive over the line, Nonu, So'oialo and Jane all featuring in the buildup.
Gopperth snapped a nice dropped goal soon after before Conrad Smith completed the haul for the spell with the easiest of finishes from another period of prolonged pressure. Gopperth had sparked the opening with a sharp run, Collins went close with a bullocking charge and when ball was cleared Nonu showed he can be a provider too with a pinpoint pass to his centre.
If Canterbury were to hit back after the break they had to stem the Lions tide. But when the second half opened, it all flowed the way of the home side who were in rampant form.
Collins had try No 3 eight minutes in, soon after Richie McCaw had been substituted, spent, from a clinical lineout option and forward drive. At 24-9 it was threatening to get out of hand and seven minutes later, at 29-9, it was all but a done deal as Collins crossed for the brace.
This time the big blindside showed off his speed as he floated wide off set phase play and run beautifully into the gap for the finish.
And that was pretty much that, though there was still time for happy hooker Schwalger to charge across for a classic forwards try and make it a high five for the Lions. Nonu had provided the thrust, but then Collins found Tialata who flipped a peach of a pass to his hooker on the cutback. They were taking the mickey, surely.
Canterbury did mount a minor flourish over the final quarter of an hour to send replacement flanker Michael Paterson and Carter over for consolation scores. But it was too little, too late.
This was a victory for a side that produced its best form of the season at precisely the right time. And an outfit that will be a dangerous proposition indeed for, more than likely, Waikato next Friday night in Hamilton.
Wellington 36: Jerry Collins 2, Conrad Smith, Neemia Tialata, Mo Schwalger tries; Jimmy Gopperth 4 con dg
Canterbury 23: Michael Paterson, Dan Carter tries; Carter 3 pen 2 con. Ht: 17-9.
