Canterbury have shown they will again be the team to beat in this year's Farah Palmer Cup.
Photo: Brett Phibbs/Photosport Ltd 2021
The four-time defending champions have outclassed Auckland 32-7 at Eden Park to move seven points clear at the top of the premiership standings.
Canterbury led 19-0 at halftime after tries from Grace Steinmetz, Liv McGoverne and Pip Love.
Prop Aldora Ituna scored a try early in the second-half to get Auckland on the board but further tries from Amy Rule and Jorja Miller secured the emphatic win for Canterbury.
The red and blacks have now beaten all of their nearest challengers in the first four rounds of the season.
Auckland remain third in the premiership, a point behind last year's runners-up Waikato.
Earlier, the North Harbour Hibiscus and Northland Kauri posted their second wins of the season to stay in touch with the Manawatu Cyclones in the championship standings.
The Hibiscus beat the Taranaki Whio 24-10 in Albany, after trailing 10-7 at halftime.
North Harbour scored three unanswered tries in the second-half.
The Kauri thumped Tasman 27-nil in Motueka, scoring five unanswered tries.
World Cup winner Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali scored two of Northland's tries.
The North Harbour Hibiscus are a clear second in the championship standings, four points behind Manawatu, with the Northland Kauri a further point back in third.
