NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 40 CANBERRA RAIDERS 6
TOM SMITH, Go Media Stadium, Friday

TANAH BOYD steered the Warriors to a commanding win over the Raiders in the Auckland rain. 

The New Zealanders lost Kurt Capewell (calf) in the warm-up and Chanel Harris-Tavita to an early head-injury assessment, and were lucky to be level with the Raiders at half-time. 

But they slammed on six tries in a rampant second half, as damaging back-rower Leka Halasima notched a brace and veteran winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored his second. 

With Luke Metcalf still recovering from an ACL, Boyd looks comfortable with the playmaking reins, kicking with aplomb in the tricky conditions. 

Canberra fullback Kaeo Weekes strolled over early, and the men in green dominated most of the first half. 

But Watene-Zelezniak’s score in the right corner and Boyd’s penalty goal thanks to an early Sebastian Kris tackle squared things at the break. 

The Kiwi club then dominated the second half from start to finish. 

Ali Leiataua raced 50-odd metres with an intercept and Halasima grounded a beautiful Boyd grubber kick. 

Prop Jackson Ford then crashed over from close range before the floodgates opened late. 

‘Leka the Wrecker’ crossed again in signature style, Boyd regathered his own ricocheted kick to tally a well-deserved try and Watene-Zelezniak reeled in a Boyd bomb to put the finishing touches on a big win. 

WARRIORS: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Ali Leiataua, 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Tanah Boyd, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Jackson Ford, 12 Jacob Laban, 16 Leka Halasima, 13 Erin Clark. Subs: 14 Sam Healey, 15 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18 Taine Tuaupiki, 20 Morgan Gannon (not used), 23 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava (not used) 

Tries: Watene-Zelezniak (14, 78), Leiataua (42), Halasima (49, 68), Ford (63), Boyd (75); Goals: Boyd 5/8, Tuivasa-Sheck 1/1 

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Savelio Tamale, 3 Simi Sasagi, 4 Sebastian Kris, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Ethan Sanders, 8 Morgan Smithies, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Noah Martin, 13 Corey Horsburgh. Subs: 14 Jayden Brailey, 15 Zac Hosking, 16 Ata Mariota, 17 Matthew Timoko, 18 Daine Laurie (not used), 19 Joe Roddy (not used) 

Tries: Weekes (5); Goals: Sanders 1/1 

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 6-6; 12-6, 18-6, 24-6, 30-6, 34-6, 40-6 

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Tanah Boyd, Raiders: Noah Martin 

Penalty count: 5-3; Half-time: 6-6; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 23,067