Forced to golden point after being level with Northland 19-19 in Whangarēi, neither side was able to secure a winning advantage.
With only one more round in the regular season to play, Canterbury has 37 points and Otago 36 which should see them enjoy home advantage in the quarter finals while those in the hunt to qualify also are: Taranaki 32, Bay of Plenty 31, Hawke's Bay 30, Tasman 29, Waikato 25, Northland 24 and Counties Manukau 22.
Canterbury is to host Taranaki in the final game of Round 10 on Sunday while Otago travels to Auckland to play Otago at Auckland Grammar School. Bay of Plenty travels to Wellington, Tasman hosts Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay travels to Manawatū and Northland is to play Waikato in Hamilton.
Hawke's Bay 45 Auckland 28
Hawke's Bay halfback Folau Fakatava's class, built on the efforts of his forwards, to run and create a chance, via lock Tom Parsons, five minutes into the game against Auckland, was one that his first five-eighths Lincoln McClutchie took to open the scoring with a try at McLean Park. But Auckland halfback James Arscott, after 19 minutes, lobbed a kick behind a scrum for wing Caleb Tangitau to gather the ball and line with second five-eighths Xavi Taele before the ball was moved for wing Xavier Tito-Harris to score. But Hawke's Bay were in no mood to relent, and in play from the restart, No8 Devan Flanders stood off a ruck and twisted his way over for a try. Fakatava was in the action again with a snappy pass from fullback Zarn Sullivan, giving flanker Miracle Fai'ilagi a 30m run to score. Four minutes from the break, Fakatava, Fai'ilagi and Flanders combined for the latter to score.
Up 26-7, Hawke's Bay took advantage of scrambled Auckland defence and second five-eighths Le Roux Malan benefited with the first of his tries from poor covering. Into the final quarter, Auckland fullback Cohen Norrie ran the ball back for Taele to score. But Malan was back in for a try off another break by wing Neria Fomai. Then Auckland scored through replacement Tanielu Tele'a, who was on hand when Tito-Harris followed a kick through and passed to support, to score. Replacement Lukas Ripley scored Hawke's Bay's seventh before Auckland replacement hooker Soane Vikena scored a superb, bullocking individual try to get a bonus point at least for Auckland.
Hawke's Bay 45 (Lincoln McClutchie, Devan Flanders 2, Miracle Fai'ilagi, Le Roux Malan 2, Lukas Ripley tries; McClutchie 5 con) Auckland 28 (Xavier Tito-Harris, Xavier Taele, Tanielu Tele'a, Soa Vikena tries; Rico Simpson 4 con). HT: 26-7
Southland 38 Tasman 55
Southland may be struggling to build on its mid-season success, but while going down to another high score against them, they contributed to a running spectacle in Invercargill, with a player on each side scoring hat-tricks of tries. Tasman wing Kyren Taumoefolau posted his triple before the break while Southland's ace wing Michael Manson responded with three in the second half. However, Tasman's first-half onslaught, which saw them up 41-7, was started by hooker Tomasi Maka scoring like a centre out in the backline four minutes into the game. That came from a cross-kick by fullback David Havili, who scored two tries in the game. Maka's second, three minutes later, was off the back of a more traditional lineout maul. Southland's only response, in the 13th minute, was a stunning break by No8 Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, who made a midfield burst, replayed the ball from the tackle, then raced to the line from 30m out.
Manson started the second half, having a try ruled out, but in the 47th minute, his backline entry was timed perfectly for a gap, and he sprinted in under the posts from 50m out. Two minutes later, replacement prop Paula Latu drove over for another Southland try. Replacement hooker Jack Taylor lifted his side with some fine charges, and flanker Caleb Karangaroa and Manson, twice, were beneficiaries. But Springer had the try that took Tasman beyond any late surprises from the home team.
Southland 38 (Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, Michael Manson 3, Paula Latu, Caleb Karangaroa tries; Mika Muliaina 2 con; Dan Hollinshead 2 con) Tasman 55 (Tomasi Maka 2, David Havili 2, Kyren Taumoefolau 3, Ryan Coxon, Macca Springer tries; William Havili 5 con). HT: 7-41
Otago 41 North Harbour 26
It took only 98 seconds for Otago to reveal their intentions on where the Ranfurly Shield will spend the summer when fullback Sam Gilbert was put into a gap with halfback Dylan Pledger in support to score the first try against North Harbour in Dunedin. Mark Tele'a, at centre, however, set off on a midfield run that opened space on the flank where second five-eighths Ben Brownlee opened the Harbour response 10 minutes later. Tele'a scored in the 19th minute from an intercept on halfway to push Harbour ahead. Otago No8 Christian Lio-Willie capped some strong goal-line by timing his run perfectly off a ruck to score in the 29th minute. Two minutes before the break, Otago hooker Liam Coltman, in his 100th game, joined a lineout maul to celebrate his milestone with a try.
The third quarter was a series of probes and counter-probes before Otago got on top, when wing Jonah Nareki found a gap and quickly moved the ball to ever-present flanker Lucas Casey, who scored in the 57th minute. Two minutes later, Otago gained a vital break when, from a nudge ahead by wing Jae Bloomfield, Pledger was touched down by Pledger just inside the deadball line. Telea's play set up a chance that saw replacement back Sofai Notoa-Tipo score to be followed by a try set up by Harbour first five-eighths Cam Howell, who put a kick down the sideline, regained it and passed inside where wing Tom Barham scored. Any hopes of a late challenge were denied by first five-eighths Cameron Millar, who completed an accurate day with two penalty goals to go with his 100 percent conversion record.
Otago 41 (Dylan Pledger 2, Christian Lio-Willie, Liam Coltman, Lucas Casey tries; Cam Millar 5 con, 2 pen) North Harbour 26 (Ben Brownlee, Mark Tele'a, Sofai Notoa-Tipo, Tom Barham tries; Cam Howell 3 con). HT: 21-14
Taranaki 39 Wellington 20
Taranaki was frustrated in the 20th minute when a try to wing Adam Lennox was ruled out when he failed to complete the touchdown at New Plymouth. However, an earlier infringement at least allowed them an equalising penalty goal after Wellington's Jackson Garden-Bachop opened the scoring earlier. Wellington went ahead with another Garden-Bachop penalty goal, and from the restart, a dangerous tackle by Vereniki Tikorosolomone saw him sin-binned. However, Wellington couldn't capitalise and home first five-eighths Josh Jacomb landed a second penalty goal that levelled the scores. Then, just before halftime, and fully restored, Taranaki went to its lineout maul with hooker Bradley Slater scoring.
Two minutes into the second half, Taranaki moved the ball effectively, with Jacomb feeding No8 Kaylum Boshier, who ran in like a centre to score. Two minutes later, from the restart, lock Hemopo Cunningham picked up untidy Taranaki backline ball, and raced through a hole to take play into Wellington's half, where a nudge ahead from the ruck by Crowley saw Wellington scramble to defend on their goal-line. But in attempting to clear the ball, wing Kapu Broughton-Winterburn had his kick charged down and lock Jesse Parete dropped on the ball to score. And another kick-off return saw Jacomb take a gap and kick ahead, where Crowley was fastest to the ball to score – three tries in four minutes. Wellington got into the scoring action through wing Dominic Ropeti and fullback Callum Harkin, whose tries were interspersed by a penalty try to Taranaki when Wellington halfback Kyle Preston interfered with a pushover try attempt.
Taranaki 39 (Bradley Slater, Kaylum Boshier, Jesse Parete, Logan Crowley tries; Penalty try; Josh Jacomb 3 con, 2 pen) Wellington 20 (Dominic Ropeti, Callum Harkin tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 11-6
Bay of Plenty 41 Waikato 5
Bay of Plenty hit neighbour Waikato hard in the first minutes of their game in Tauranga, pulling off a long lineout throw that saw Kele Lasaqa break close to the line before prop Filipe Vakasiuola had too much momentum to stop coming off the ruck to score. But it was the final 14 minutes of the first half that did the damage. Fehi Fineanganofo was propped over the line after the Bay gained a 50-22 from Cole Forbes and used the lineout to set up the big wing. Poor Waikato ball control allowed wing Kele Lasaqa to toe the ball ahead, get the bounce and score. Then, just before the break, Fineanganofo's ball control and footwork provided him the opportunity to score his second, and he didn't waste it. The Bay turned 29-0 ahead.
Fifty-five minutes in, some individual skill from Waikato centre Bailyn Sullivan provided their only points with a try. But with the power of the home pack going to work, a try denied became a try earned soon after for hooker Kurt Eklund. Three minutes from the end, replacement Kees Kolose was able to run in a final try, and a complete Bay of Plenty win was secured.
Bay of Plenty 41 (Filipe Vakasiuola, Fehi Fineanganofo 2, Kele Lasaqa, Kurt Eklund, Kees Kolose tries; Lucas Cashmore 4 con, pen) Waikato 5 (Bailyn Sullivan try). HT: 29-0
Counties Manakau 48 Manawatū 24
Manawatū made life difficult for themselves when an overthrown lineout, five metres from their line, 10 minutes into their game with Counties Manukau in Pukekohe, gifted the easiest of tries to hooker Ioane Moananu. However, good work off the back from a Counties Manukau lineout at halfway allowed Manawatū some recovery as the ball was kicked into the 22m by hooker Vernon Basson before it was worked to the flank, where second five-eighths Ngani Laumape scored in the corner. However, a deja vu moment for Manawatū saw Moananu score again at the back of the lineout. Moments later, home second five-eighths Gibson Popoali'i went over from a worked lineout move. Then Manawatū responded with a lineout drive for flanker TK Howden to score. But just before time, Counties moved it wide from a lineout for wing Josh Gray to cross and give the home team a 28-10 lead.
Manawatū halfback Jordie Viljoen put a crosskick in on the Counties line, and while untidy, wing James Tofa was able to claim the ball and score. While Popoali'i scored a second, Manawatū got back downfield and Laumape put a gentle lob behind the home defence for wing Tofuka Paongo to take the ball with ease to score. Home fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo fielded a kick ahead and raced in for a 77th-minute try before Popoali'i finished the scoring action when completing his hat-trick off a tap penalty play.
Counties Manukau 48 (Ioane Moananu 2, Gibson Popoali'i 3, Josh Gray, Etene Nanai-Seturo tries, AJ Alatimu 5 con, pen) Manawatū 24 (Ngani Laumape, TK Howden, James Tofa, Tofuka Paongo tries; Sam Coles 2 con). HT: 28-10
Northland 19 Canterbury 19
Canterbury worked a move off a centre-field scrum with fullback Andrew Knewstubb working to provide wing Kurtis MacDonald with the room to run in the first try, five minutes into the Whangarēi game against Northland. Northland had their chances, but it wasn't until the 29th minute that they worked left, then back to the right for first five-eighths Rivez Reihana to pass to fullback Jordan Trainor for the home response. Seconds after the halftime hooter, Canterbury finished the half well, and it was first five-eighths Shun Miyake who scored and converted his try for a 12-5 lead at the break.
Fourteen minutes into the second half, Canterbury lost prop Daniel Lienert-Brown to the sin-bin for a maul infringement, and three minutes later, he was followed by flanker Angus Gardiner. Under strength at the scrum, Canterbury conceded ground, allowing No8 Terrell Peita to run from the back on the blindside to score. After a torrid period on defence, the Canterbury 13 prevented any more scoring until wing Manassa Mataele followed a kick through to push off the defence and score. But 95 seconds before full-time, flanker Rob Rush scored by the posts to level the scores. The only scoring chance in golden point was a missed penalty attempt by Knewstubb, and it remained a draw.
Northland 19 (Jordan Trainor, Terrell Peita, Rob Rush tries; Rivez Reihana 2 con) Canterbury 19 (Kurtis MacDonald, Shun Miyake, Manassa Mataele tries; Miyake con; Andrew Knewstubb con). HT: 5-12; FT: 19-19.
