The Farah Palmer Cup Premiership presented by Hilux until then had seen Canterbury score 50 tries in their five normal season games, to Auckland’s 38.
Canterbury were on the back foot early when Aldora Itunu crashed over from short range after a period of sustained Storm pressure on Canterbury’s line.
Sophie Kerr hit back for the home side on the 12-minute mark though. A quick slip ball from Lucy Jenkins on the line put Kerr in for a simple try beside the posts to level up the scores.
Auckland fullback Presayus Singh was on the end of a chain of passes towards the right corner flag when she dotted down to put the away side ahead on the quarter hour mark.
Flying winger Binky Muamua jinked down the left touchline, beating a defender, to score Canterbury’s second try a few minutes later.
Emacyn Ieremia added a penalty goal to Auckland’s tally near the end of the first half. But quick thinking, and a quick tap, from Kelsyn McCook saw the red and blacks go into the break 19-17 up after Auckland were penalised for a high tackle on their 5 metre line. McCook tapped while Auckland were retreating and dove over to level the scores. She converted her own try.
Twelve minutes into the second stanza, Maisy Allen stretched out to score for Canterbury after a well-worked set piece move off the back of a lineout near halfway led Binky Muamua to fall just a few metres short. The resulting phase landed in Allen’s hands and she was tackled short, but reached out to add to the tally.
Muamua was back in the action shortly after, as she intercepted a promising Auckland attack on halfway and sped away untouched to the line for her second try of the day.
Substitute Poppy Baxter was next on the scoresheet for the home side. Fullback Winnie Palamo found herself on the left wing in a two-versus-one with Baxter in support. Palamo drew Singh’s attention and passed, allowing Baxter to step away to score in the corner.
After gathering a stabbed kick from Auckland inside her own 22, substitute Rosie Moffitt took off, beating three defenders as she sprinted towards the try line, only to be dragged down a metre short. Canterbury did well to protect the ball and recycled to Palamo, who beat two tired tackles and dove over, the scoreline reading 43-17.
Auckland’s Taufa Bason was rewarded for her tireless work with a try soon after. With Canterbury a player down, the extra number out wide paid off and Bason beat a defender on the end of a passing chain to dive over for Auckland’s fourth try.
Canterbury had the last word though, through Rosie Buchanan-Brown. She picked up from the base of the ruck a few metres out and crashed over in the left corner to bring up the 50 for the red and blacks.