A youthful-looking North Harbour outfit have fallen to their second straight NPC defeat, after Canterbury used all their experience to run out 35-22 winners at Christchurch's Orangetheory Stadium.
Boasting test veterans Owen Franks, George Bridge, Luke Romano and Willi Heinz, the southerners capitalised on Harbour's newlook team from their Ranfurly Shield defeat.
Canterbury first-five Alex Harford opened the scoring with two penalty kicks inside the first eight minutes, before winger Ngatungane Punivai grabbed the game's first try. Punivai linked up well with brother Isaiah, before busting through a couple of tackles to score underneath the goal posts.
Harbour responded through the boot of veteran Shaun Stevenson, who slotted the penalty goal from right in front to reduce the lead, but his missed touchfinder just five minutes later allowed Dallas McLeod to score another try in the corner.
Harbour looked to have stopped another Canterburytry before halftime, after doing well to negate the lineout drive, but the hosts freed the ball up to send former England halfback Heinz over, after a clever dart around the fringes.
Harbour made sure they crossed the whitewash before halftime, with Felix Kalapu crashing over after the hooter. The visitors ate into Canterbury's lead even further in the second half, after loosehead prop Tevita Langi went over for the try between the sticks.
Canterbury's experience began to show, as they opted for another Harford penalty kick, after Harbour were penalised at the scrum.
With just over 10 minutes to play, replacement prop Tamaiti Williams picked up the ball and crashed over for the game-sealing try.
Harbour had the final say, with winger Tika Lelenga scoring a try on his debut in the corner, but it was too little, too late for the visitors.
Canterbury 35 (Ngatungane Punivai, McLeod & Williams tries; Harford 3 conversions & 3 penalties) North Harbour 22 (Kalapu, Langi & Lelenga tries; Stevenson 2 conversions & penalty)
