By Campbell BurnesCounties Manukau 33 Canterbury 21The Steelers have sailed into the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership semifinals with a withering second half display against the defending champs in Pukekohe. "A lot of that (second half) was down to that first half defence," said Steelers coach Darryl Suasua, who acknowledged that Canterbury will be a very different side in personnel and mindset should they face them again in the semis. Counties Manukau will thus contest their first playoffs rugby since the 2013 Premiership. In the second half we just played our Steelers footy," he said. Canterbury hooker Ben Funnell was binned and the Steelers set themselves to use the conditions to their advantage in the second stanza.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 15, 2016 01:33 UTC