It was only an injury time try to replacement hooker George Bell that finally denied their Crusaders franchise partners Tasman of an upset win.
Otago held second place by beating Taranaki in Dunedin while Hawke's Bay's win over Bay of Plenty lifted it to third, which it shares with Tasman.
Northland 43 Wellington 26
Northland's lineout maul did the early damage in Whangarei four minutes into the game as hooker Matt Moulds was guided through to score. But Wellington's response was prompt as fullback Callum Harkin picked up a less-than-memorable kicking attempt by home first-five Rivez Reihana. Harkin ran straight through the middle before setting up a ruck that allowed first-five Jackson Garden-Bachop to in-pass to No8 Dominic Ropeti, whose momentum helped him slide over the line. Northland prop Chris Apoua burst from a lineout for 20m to be grounded and have flanker Jake Heenan go over the top of the breakdown to score in the 12th minute. Northland's confidence was evident when fullback Jordan Trainor cut back in the 21st minute to score. Wellington gained a penalty try when Terrell Peita fouled a maul and was sin-binned. Flanker Sione Halalilo also spent time in the bin.
Up 22-14 at the turn, Northland turned on the pressure and a quick tap after seven minutes by Peita saw him score. But Wellington came back through halfback Eso Komaisavai, breaking around a ruck close to the line. Northland got into Wellington's quarter and Peita went over for a second try. Then Wellington unleashed its backline with wing Losi Filipo on the end of the line scoring a try. Northland sealed its win with replacement Nathan Salmon picking up a dropped Wellington ball and running 20 metres to score.
Northland 43 (Matt Moulds, Jake Heenan, Jordan Trainor, Terrell Peita 2, Nathan Salmon tries; Rivez Reihana 5 con, pen) Wellington 26 (Dominic Ropeti, Eso Komaisavai, Losilosivale Filipo tries; Penalty try; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 con). HT: 22-14
Waikato 29 North Harbour 28
Taking advantage of poor ball control from a Waikato kick, North Harbour suffered a 63-second knockback when wing Josh Moorby took the ball and ran 35m to score the opening try at Waikato Stadium. Harbour wing Mark Telea inspired a period of continuity among his side that saw flanker Jed Melvin gain the reward in the eighth minute with a try. Waikato made the most of a chance after the pack took the ball to the line and released it for second five-eighths Gideon Wrampling to charge ahead and create the smallest space on the right flank where the slightest in-out feint by wing Dan Sinkinson saw him cross for a try. Waikato was building for another assault only to have Harbour's first five-eighths Cam Howell pick off an intercept to race 70m to score. Waikato's scrum earned a penalty chance on halftime with first five-eighths Lima Sopoaga landing the goal to lead 17-14.
Three minutes into the second half, North Harbour lock Felix Kalapu charged over for a try to reclaim the lead. Waikato's infringements saw them concede penalty advantages close to their line twice, and when this happened again after 56 minutes, a deliberate knockdown by Xavier Roe led to him being sin-binned, resulting in a penalty try for North Harbour and a 28-17 lead. But Waikato was undeterred, and a strong scrum in the 66th minute saw stand-in halfback Tepaea Cook-Savage scoot around the blindside to score. Then, with six minutes left, replacement prop Gabe Robinson was out in the centres and got over to score the match-winning try, after receiving a superb pass behind a tackler by No8 Senita Lauaki.
Waikato 29 (Josh Moorby, Dan Sinkinson, Tepaea Cook-Savage, Gabe Robinson tries; Lima Sopoaga 2 con, pen; Cook-Savage con) North Harbour 28 (Jed Melvin, Cam Howell, Felix Kalapu tries; Penalty try; Howell 3 con). HT: 17-14
Bay of Plenty 21 Hawke's Bay 24
Three minutes into their game in Tauranga, Hawke's Bay halfback Folau Fakatava took a five-metre tap penalty and raced through to score the opening try in the McRae-Shelford Cup contest. Then, six minutes later, Bay of Plenty replied in kind after No8 Nikora Broughton tapped five metres out and from a ruck flanker Joe Johnston crossed for a try. Twenty-nine minutes into the half, lock Tom Parsons drove over from a goal-line rugby, but, from the restart, BOP charged to the Hawke's Bay line, where, after a series of pick-and-goes, halfback Richard Judd ducked around a ruck to score.
Five minutes into the second half, Broughton set off from the base of a scrum out from the line only to lose the ball when diving to score. Then, in the 62nd minute, after a series of goal-line assaults, it was Fakatava who saw a gap to squeeze across for his second try. Nine minutes out, a superbly taken try by right-wing Kele Lasaqa, who burst through two tacklers and then ran 40 metres on a tangent to score under the bar, allowed BOP to draw level. The scores were level at full-time and four minutes into golden point, Hawke's Bay set up a platform through more than 20 phases that saw first five-eighths Lincoln McClutchie land a winning dropped goal.
Bay of Plenty 21 (Joe Johnston, Richard Judd, Kele Lasaga tries; Lucas Cashmore 3 con) Hawke's Bay 24 (Folau Fakatava 2, Tom Parsons tries; Lincoln McClutchie 3 con, dropped goal). HT:14-14
Otago 28 Taranaki 26
An early Otago turnover at Forsyth Barr Stadium was followed by a Dylan Pledger break from halfback that saw momentum build as wing Jae Broomfield got into the 22m area before play moved infield. Pledger then linked with centre Josh Timu, who scored the opening try after seven minutes. Taranaki responded within four minutes by going to its lineout, where hooker Bradley Slater scored. Then, in the 32nd minute, quick hands through the backline gave replacement wing Obey Samate the room to run in for a try out wide. Three minutes before halftime, similar Otago handling gave left wing Jona Nareki a chance, which he took for a 14-12 lead.
A 50th-minute drop by No8 Christian Lio-Willie of a goal-line drop out allowed Taranaki to let its backline loose from midfield, and while an inside pass by wing Adam Lennox was intercepted by Otago's first five-eighths Cameron Millar, Taranaki counter-rucked and provided good blindside ball for No8 Kaylum Boshier to score. Lennox featured again soon after in a run and kick ahead that covered 80 metres, and from a five-metre scrum replacement Arese Poliko crossed for the try. Into the final quarter, Millar was held in a goal-line tackle but wriggled free and stretched out to score. Twelve minutes from the end, Taranaki centre Daniel Rona had a clearing kick charged down. In the resulting play, as Otago worked for the line, Taranaki flanker Michael Loft was hit by a pass, ruled offside and sin-binned. From the resulting lineout, replacement hooker Liam Coltman went over for the match-winning try, after Millar completed four conversions from four attempts.
Otago 28 (Josh Timu, Jona Nareki, Cameron Millar, Liam Coltman tries; Millar 4 con) Taranaki 26 (Bradley Slater, Obey Samate, Kaylum Boshier, Arese Poliko tries; Josh Jacomb 3 con). H:14-12
Auckland 52 Manawatū 29
Manawatū made a flying start, after centre Kyle Brown and fullback Drew Wild featured in breaks before good handling resulted in wing Taniela Filimone scoring after three minutes. Ten minutes later, a likely try was lost when second five-eighths Ngani Laumape dropped the ball with the line open and Auckland wing Xavier Tito-Harris picked it up and ran 95 to score. Manawatū did it again in the 18th minute with second five-eighths Xave Taele picking up and running 50m for a try. Manawatū found a better effect from a lineout two minutes later when No8 Mosese Bason scored. In the 31st minute, Manawatū halfback Jordi Viljoen was not held in a tackle and he clambered to his feet and ran 15m unchallenged to score. Five minutes before the break, Laumape was off the back of a maul to score for a 22-12 lead.
Auckland came out, and in the 45th minute, No8 Tai Cribb went over after a long period of possession by the home side. A midfield bomb launched by first five-eighths Brett Cameron saw Bason make an outstanding chase and gather to claim the ball and score. Down 19-29 with 30 minutes to play, Auckland came home with a wet sail, courtesy of their scrum. Wing Caleb Tangitau was at halfback on a goal-line ruck to score before fullback Cohen Norrie scored from a scrum move. Then centre AJ Lam crossed to be followed by No8 Anton Segner running 25m off the back of a scrum to score. Manawatū failed to hold a high midfield kick, and Tangitau scored his second try.
Auckland 52 (Xavier Tito-Harris, Xavi Taele, Tai Cribb, Caleb Tangitau 2, Cohen Norrie, AJ Lam, Anton Segner tries; Taele 5 con; Rico Simpson con) Manawatū 29 (Taniela Filimone, Mosese Bason 2, Jordi Viljoen, Ngani Laumape tries; Drew Wild 2 con). HT: 12-22
Canterbury 31 Tasman 25
Tasman made a flying start to their Ranfurly Shield challenge against Canterbury in Christchurch. Halfback Mitch Drummond scored three minutes into the game, after wing Macca Springer ran into the line from his left flank to open a gap and combined with fullback David Havili, who had centre Cooper Roberts and second five-eighths Leicester Fainga'anuku in support to offload the last pass to Drummond to score. Havili was caught short on the laws of the game when Canterbury halfback Louie Chapman kicked from the base of a scrum and followed up to beat Havili to a touchdown after the ball rebounded infield off the corner flag. But then Havili was redeemed when chasing a Springer kick deep into the in-goal and touching the ball down for a try while Canterbury's Dallas McLeod, fatally, waited for it to roll dead. However, replacement back Jone Rova opened the Tasman defences and passed to Chapman inside him. Just before half-time, Chapman backed off a ruck and lobbed a ball forward for wing Chay Fihaki to leap and claim the ball to score for a 19-15 lead at the turn.
Into the second half, more in-goal hesitation resulted in Tasman wing Kyren Taumoefolau kicking ahead and getting a finger to the ball ahead of Fihaki to score. Five minutes later, in the 60th minute, in midfield space, Fainga'anuku flung a long pass that was taken on the right wing by hooker Tomasi Maka, who bullocked his way over the line to score. But with 12 minutes left, Canterbury's big men took charge with some lively play in the open as flanker Zach Gallaher and locks Jamie Hannah and Sam Darry combined for the latter to score. Still down by one, Canterbury went beyond full-time to get their match-winner, courtesy of replacement hooker George Bell.
Canterbury 31 (Louie Chapman 2, Chay Fihaki, Sam Darry, George Bell tries; James White 3 con) Tasman 25 (Mitch Drummond, David Havili, Kyren Taumoefolau, Tomasi Maka tries; William Havili con, pen). HT: 19-15
Southland 10 Counties Manukau 64
Home team Southland opened the scoring with lock Mitch Dunshea out in the backline crossing for a try in the 14th minute against Counties Manukau in Invercargill. But the visitors stormed downfield where hooker Ioane Moananu crossed from a goal-line ruck to score. It was the start of a rare scoring procession for Counties Manukau as fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo crossed when running close to the pack and taking an inside pass to punch through and score after 25 minutes. Southland feasted on a dropped ball from No8 Hoskins Sotutu while standing in a tackle, getting the ball wide for centre Scott Gregory to score. Dalton Papali'i returned the favour by scoring when fullback Michael Manson and wing Sevu Reece botched a kick to the in-goal. On the halftime hooter, Nanai-Seturo stepped his way through and lock Leo Ngatai-Tafau was in support to score.
Counties Manukau came back out intent on building on their 26-10 lead, but prop Jack Sexton was sin-binned for infringing at a goal-line ruck, and a penalty try was awarded. In the 50th minute, running play between backs and forwards saw Sotutu finish the move. Replacement prop Vainikolo Fifita went over from a lineout, then loose forward Cameron Church backed up and scored. Halfback Cohen Brady-Leathem stole the ball in a stand-up tackle and scored, and the final try came from a Sotutu break, which put Sione Molia into space, and the Sevens representative raced in for their tenth try of the game.
Southland 10 (Mitch Dunshea, Scott Gregory tries) Counties Manukau 64 (Ioane Moananu, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Dalton Papali'i, Leo Ngatai-Tafau, Hoskins Sotutu, Vainikolo Fifita, Cameron Church, Cohen Brady-Leathem, Sione Molia tries; Penalty try; AJ Alatimu 4 con; Gibson Popoali'i 2 con). HT: 10-26