The Ranfurly Shield is on the move again.
Canterbury have taken it off Southland after a 54-14 win at Rugby Park this afternoon.
Anticipation had been building all week in Invercargill after the Stags wrestled the Log o’ Wood off Waikato with a 25-10 win.
But Canterbury were having none of it this afternoon and steadily piled on the points at Rugby Park.
Canterbury now have the most Ranfurly Shield wins, having won the Shield 17 times.
It is the first time the men in red and black have held the Ranfurly Shield since September 2020.
Southland captain Sean Withy said Canterbury were “awesome’’ and Southland ran out of answered.
“A little bit embarrassed, and a little bit disappointed right now with that effort,’’ Withy told Sky Sport.
“But the week we’ve had, and how much it means to our province, is truly special. Just getting around and seeing people in the streets, and schools, and what-not.
“It’s been pretty awesome.
“I always say we’ve got the best fans in the country and it’s just another week of them showing up for us – just disappointed in the way that that went.’’
Canterbury went up early thanks to a Corey Kellow try.
They extended in the 13th minute when centre Dallas McLeod’s grubber was collected by winger Ngane Punivai, who turned inside and dished it back to McLeod to score.
Dom Gardiner scored another well worked off the back of a line out in the 22m to extend for Canterbury.
They were hard to put down and kept on moving.
Inside their own half, Gardiner made a break off a great ball from halfback Louie Chapman.
The ball landed to Punivai who took off and put it inside to Chapman to finish.
That made it 28-0 to Canterbury.
It was a tough period for Southland, but the home side responded well and looked threatening in a couple of passages.
But they were unable to break through and Canterbury held a 28-0 lead at halftime.
Southland struck in first in the second half.
Highlander hooker Jack Taylor spotted the gap off the back of a ruck and went through the middle to score under the sticks.
Byron Smith added the extras to close it to 28-7.
From a messy passage of play, Southland tried to exit their danger zone could not get it away.
Gardiner charged it down and Chapman scooped it up to score.
Lock Jamie Hannah then bustled over for another to push Canterbury out to a 42-7 lead.
All Black hooker George Bell added another.
He tucked in the back of a rolling maul from the line out 5m out and then broke away to score.
Southland then scored a stunner.
Faletoi Peni picked up the ball from a line out and made a break.
That set Southland up to eventually find replacement Sam Fischli scored to close it to 47-14.
But McLeod intercepted the ball and ran in another for Canterbury.
Canterbury will now put the Shield on the line against Tasman at home next weekend.
