In a clash between two sides with Premier League experience (Auckland's coming from the now defunct Christchurch Carnage, on which they were built)- it was the general consensus that today's match would provide the eventual winner of the grand final. With Canberra and Auckland both in hot form of late, fans were lining up early at Auckland's Eden Park to ensure a place in the 50,000 capacity stadium.

Auckland Chiefs Canberra Chargers
1 Matthew Bowen 1 Ben Hornby ©
2 Michael Eager 2 Reece Simmonds
3 Michael Robertson 3 Paul Whatuira
4 Chris Hicks 4 Christophe Lamaison
5 Mark Gerrard 5 Jamie Burrows
6 Nathan Wood 6 Brandon Costin
7 Eron Bates © 7 Sean Towers
8 Corey Pearson 8 Troy Stone
9 Aaron Gorrell 9 Johnny Lawless
10 Steele Retchless 10 Sonny Nickle
11 Ali Williams 11 Solomon Haumona
12 Mark Minichiello 12 Michael Smith
13 Ryan Hudson 13 Ian Watson
++Interchange
14 Glenn Turner 14 Danny Galea
15 Nathan Sharpe 15 Chris McKenna
16 Chad Robinson 16 Richard Peleasina
17 Gareth Raynor 17 Michael Monaghan

It didn't take long for a side to get points on the board, a spiteful start providing Eron Bates with a gift two points for his team after Jonny Lawless was cautioned for a high tackle on Nathan Wood. The close range penalty gave the Chiefs, slight outsiders, a 2-0 lead. It was a scrappy opening quarter, with both sides playing a torrid brand of football full of big hits, niggling in the play the ball, and expansive football. The Canberra fans didn't get a chance to cheer until the 19th minute, when Sean Towers levelled the scores with a penalty of his own for offside.

As the game wound on, the Chargers' recent big game experience started to tell, with their forwards beginning to get a roll on. Solomon Haumona and Ian Watson, in particular, enjoyed some excellent second phase play that put the Chargers right on the attack. It was an Ian Watson line break in the 29th minute that provided the first try of the match, with Ben Hornby on the end of a great falling offload from the Canberra lock. Hornby managed to get around his opposite, Matt Bowen, to score under the posts. Towers' conversion gave his side an 8-2 lead leading into the final ten minutes of the half.

The Chargers made the ultimate footballing error from their try, however, unable to follow up their good work with a solid set of six. Christophe Lamaisson, one of Canberra's high profile signings this year, came up with an uncharacteristic error on only the second tackle to allow Auckland an ideal opportunity to hit back. And hit back they did, with some fine backline work bamboozling the Canberra defence and allowing Michael Eager to dive over in the far corner. Eron Bates was unable to hit the difficult conversion, with the ball sailing well wide and leaving his side two adrift at 8-6. Eager's backline accomplice, Mark Gerrard, had to leave the field only two minutes later- when the centre's jaw was broken in a heavy tackle from Michael Smith.

Shortly before half time, on the back of a penalty for offside (a crime of which Canberra were continually guilty), the penalty leaving it at 8 all.

HALFTIME: Auckland 8 level with Canberra 8

The Chargers didn't waste any time in opening their second half account, with their world class backline quickly clicking into gear. After a penalty for offside put the Chargers on the attack, it took just two plays for Paul Whatuira to dance through some slow cover defence and score just wide of the uprights. Sean Towers continued his good goalkicking form to put his side ahead 14-8 only five minutes into the second half. The too and fro nature of the clash continued, however, with the Chiefs able to hit back only four minutes later through Union convert, Nathan Sharpe. The try was again scored after the Chargers made a mistake coming out of their own end, and Bates' conversion levelled things once more at 14 all.

The Chargers didn't waste time in responding to Auckland's equalising try, with their backline again featuring in the try-scoring. This time it was pacy winger Reece Simmonds, who was given a gift try when Brandon Costin sent him a picture perfect cut out pass. Simmonds didn't even have to step around a defender, with Michael Eager having rushed in on a decoy running Solomon Haumona. Towers' conversion was made easier by Simmonds taking it closer to the posts, and Canberra had a 20-14 lead with twenty five minutes of play remaining. The try seemed to crush some of Auckland's resolve, as the Chargers began to make easier metres up the middle through both their big forwards and their elusive backs. Enter Capetown bound Michael Robertson, whose 65th minute intercept of a Sean Towers' pass put his side right back in the game. Robertson showed he has speed to burn to outpace both Ben Hornby and Christophe Lamaisson, his ninety metre effort converted to put Auckland right back in it at 20 all.

Both sides were guilty of atrocious errors as the final ten minutes approached. Canberra twice surrendered the ball on the last tackle through simple poor planning, whilst Auckland squandered their one chance to snare the lead when Ali Williams dropped an inside ball that would have seen him in under the posts. The back and forth trend of scoring continued, and again it was a Canberra backline player in the action, with Jamie Burrows stepping around Michael Robertson and running it around under the posts to give his side a 24-20 lead. Towers' conversion made it 26-20.

The Chiefs were still in it, but would need to score next if they were a chance to win it. Predictable play killed off any hope of a Chiefs' resurgence however, with wild passing easily countered by a committed Canberra line. When Ian Watson capped off his marvellous game with a 76th minute try (set up by Chris McKenna), the game was well and truly beyond the third placed Chiefs. The conversion had it at 32-20, and from the kick-off McKenna and Hornby combined to well and truly seal the game. Hornby came up with a classy return, and from the resulting field position, McKenna was able to come up with a chip and chase that resulted in the Chargers's sixth try of the match. The conversion had it at 38-20, not a true reflection of how close the game had been. Fulltime sounded not long after, with Auckland left to mourn a wasted opportunity, and begin negotiations with the ASRL about a potential move to Brisbane next season.

FULLTIME

Canberra Chargers 38
Ben Hornby
Reece Simmonds
Jamie Burrows
Chris McKenna
Ian Watson
Paul Whatuira
Towers 7/7

defeated

Auckland Chiefs 20
Michael Eager
Michael Robertson
Nathan Sharpe
Bates 4/5

PoM Points
Ian Watson..................3
Ben Hornby..................2
Sonny Nickle................1

Stats
Penalty Count
Auckland Chiefs- 7 : 6 -Canberra Chargers

Possession (%)
Auckland Chiefs- 46 : 53 -Canberra Chargers

Time in Opposition Half
Auckland Chiefs- 35 : 45 -Canberra Chargers

Handling Errors
Auckland Chiefs- 13 : 14 -Canberra Chargers

Completion Rate (%)
Auckland Chiefs- 68 : 67 -Canberra Chargers

Tackles
Auckland Chiefs- 216 : 205 -Canberra Chargers

hey chris can u mail me my result? my messanger isnt working for some strange reason......and im curious as a cow to the result

MSN is down. I'll post your report in the near future.

Msn is working again Troy....