A gallant Otago side failed to tame a rampaging Canterbury team that won the ITM Cup game at the Forsyth Barr Stadium 29-16 last night.
Otago was buoyed by a crowd of 14,067 that crowded into the stadium to support the local team in its first game at the new stadium. The crowd was marginally lower than the the 15,037 the Wellington Phoenix drew for their pre-season match last Saturday.
"We appreciated playing in front of the large crowd,'' Otago captain Tom Donnelly said after the game.
An aggressive Otago team led 13-11 at the break but the home team fell off its game in the second spell that was won by Canterbury 18-3.
Otago made too many mistakes in the second spell and paid heavily for this.
Otago had a chance to win the game when Canterbury led 22-16 with 10 minutes left.
But an intercept by centre Robbie Fruean at halfway sealed the game for Canterbury.
The star of the game was Canterbury fullback Tom Taylor who collected a clearing kick and ran 60m through the Otago defence midway through the second spell.
Canterbury made the ITM Cup final with the win but failed to get the four try bonus point it needed for a home final.
They will play Waikato in the final at Hamilton next weekend.
Canterbury 29 (Tom Taylor, Robbie Fruean, Tyler Bleyendaal tries; Bleyendaal con, 4 pen), Otago 16 (Ben Smith try; Glenn Dickson con, 3 pen). Halftime: Otago 13-11.
Referee: Garratt Williamson.
