The action kicks on Friday night when Otago hosts Northland in a Championship semifinal before a massive Saturday of knockout footy.
First up on Saturday is a blockbuster Premiership semifinal between Auckland and Waikato at Eden Park at 2.05pm. At 4.35pm, Hawke’s Bay rolls out the welcome mat to a Taranaki side they beat by just one-point last week. In the final match of the weekend, defending Premiership champions Tasman host a red-hot Bay of Plenty Steamers side at Trafalgar Park at 7.05pm
Read below for your key match information and team lists. Note: teams are added as they are named.
Championship semifinal 1: Otago v Northland
Friday 20 November, 7.05pm, Forsyth Barr Stadium
Played: 50
Won: Otago 36, Northland 12, Drawn 2
Last match: Otago 30, Northland 7 (23 October 2020)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Statchat (Opta): Otago have won only two of their last nine finals games in the Mitre 10 Cup, while Northland have not won a finals game in the last 15 years.
TEAMS
Otago
1: Jamie Mackintosh 2: Ricky Jackson 3: Josh Hohneck 4: Jack Regan 5: Josh Dickson 6: Sam Fischli 7: Slade McDowall 8: Dylan Nel 9: Kayne Hammington 10: Josh Ioane 11: Jona Nareki 12: Sio Tomkinson 13: Josh Timu 14: Vilimoni Koroi 15: Michael Collins (C)
Reserves: Henry Bell, Sef Fa’agase, Hisa Sasagi, Will Tucker, Nasi Manu, James Arscott, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Matt Whaanga
Northland
1: Luatangi Li 2: Jordan Olsen (C) 3: Coree Te Whata-Colley 4: Josh Goodhue 5: Sam Caird 6: Tom Robinson 7: Kara Pryor 8: Sam McNamara 9: Sam Nock 10: Johnny Cooper 11: Jone Macilai 12: Tamati Tua 13: Rene Ranger 14: Jordan Hyland 15: Mathew Wright
Reserves: Paddy Atkins, Ross Wright, Kalolo Tuiloma, Kane Jacobson, Matt Matich, Will Grant, Wiseguy Faiane, Scott Gregory
Premiership semi-final 1: Auckland v Waikato
Saturday 21 November, 2.05pm, Eden Park
Played: 145
Won: Auckland 98, Waikato 41, Drawn 6
Last match: Auckland 31, Waikato 10 (31 October 2020)
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Statchat (Opta): Auckland are undefeated in their last three Mitre 10 Cup games against Waikato (W2, D1); the last time they went longer without a defeat against them was a seven-game winning streak from 1984 to 1992.
TEAMS
Auckland
1. Jarred Adams 2. Leni Apisai 3. Angus Ta’avao (C) 4. Scott Scrafton 5. Hamish Dalzell 6. Presley Tufuga 7. Adrian Choat 8. Sione Tuipulotu 9. Jonathan Ruru 10. Harry Plummer 11. Salesi Rayasi 12. Tanielu Tele’a 13. Tumua Manu 14. AJ Lam 15. Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: Mike Sosene-Feagai, Fatongia Paea, Marcel Renata, Jack Whetton, Niko Jones, Danny Tusitala, Simon Hickey, Jordan Trainor
Waikato
1: Ollie Norris 2: Samisoni Taukei’aho 3: Sefo Kautai 4: Hamilton Burr 5: Samipeni Finau 6: Adam Thomson 7: Luke Jacobson (C) 8: Liam Messam 9: Xavier Roe 10: Fletcher Smith 11: Beaudein Waaka 12: Bailyn Sullivan 13: Quinn Tupaea 14: Liam Coombes-Fabling 15: Matty Landsdown
Reserves: Steven Misa, Rob Cobb, Josh Iosefa-Scott, James Thompson, Rob Cobb, Sefo Kautai, Adam Thomson, Simon Parker, Rhys Dickinson, Patrick Osborne, Gideon Wrampling
Championship semifinal 2: Hawke’s Bay v Taranaki
Saturday 21 November, 4.35pm, McLean Park
Played: 55
Won: Hawke’s Bay 20, Taranaki 29, Drawn 6
Last match: Hawke’s Bay 34, Taranaki 33 (15 November 2020)
Referee: Nick Briant
Statchat (Opta): Hawkes Bay are currently on a six-game winning streak at home in the Mitre 10 Cup and have won 11 out of their last 13 home games with one draw.
TEAMS
Hawke’s Bay
1: Pouri Rakete-Stones 2: Ash Dixon (C) 3: Joe Apikotoa 4: Geoff Cridge 5: Tom Parsons, 6: Marino Mikaele-Tu’u 7: Solomone Funaki 8: Devan Flanders 9: Folau Fakatava 10: Caleb Makene 11: Jonah Lowe 12: Neria Fomai 13: Stacey Ili 14: Lolagi Visinia 15: Kurt Baker
Reserves: Jacob Devery, Jason Long, Namatahi Waa, Isaia Walker-Leaware, Gareth Evans, Lincoln McClutchie Connor McLeod, Ollie Sapsford
Taranaki
1: Jared Proffit 2: Bradley Slater, 3: Reuben O’Neill, 4: Jarrad Hoeata, 5: Mitchell Brown (C) 6: Tom Florence 7: Mitchell Crosswell, 8: Pita Gus Sowakula, 9: Warwick Lahmert, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11: Lewis Ormond, 12: Brayton Northcott-Hill, 13: Lukas Halls 14: Jacob Raumaitayuki-Kneepkens, 15: Jayson Potroz
Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Chris Gawler, Ben May, Findlamor Hoeata, Rhodes Featherstone, Lisati Milo-Harris, Daniel Rona, Codey Rei
Premiership semifinal 2: Tasman v Bay of Plenty
Saturday 21 November, 7.05pm, Trafalgar Park
Played: 9
Won: Tasman 5, Bay of Plenty 4
Last match: Tasman 33, Bay of Plenty 7 (11 October 2020)
Referee: Richard Kelly
Statchat (Opta): Bay of Plenty are coming into this Mitre 10 Cup semi-final riding a five-game winning streak. Their last loss was in Round 5 against Tasman.
TEAMS
Tasman
1: Ryan Coxon 2: Quentin MacDonald 3: Samuel Matenga, 4: Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta 5: Quinten Strange 6: Hugh Renton 7: Sione Havili Talitui 8: Taina Fox-Matamua 9: Finlay Christie 10: Mitchell Hunt 11: Leicester Faingaanuku 12: Timothy O’Malley 13: Fetuli Paea 14: Mark Telea 15: David Havili (C)
Reserves: Samiuela Moli, Isi Tu’ungafasi, Blair Prinsep, Isaac Ross, Anton Segner, Dwayne Polataivao, Kieron Fonotia, Lotima Faingaanuku
Bay of Plenty
1: Tevita Mafileo, 2: Kurt Eklund, 3: Jeff Thwaites, 4: Stan Van den Hoven, 5: Keppa Mewett, 6: Joe Johnston 7: Mitch Karpik 8: Sam Dickson, 9: Luke Campbell, 10: Otere Black (C), 11: Joe Webber 12: Chase Tiatia, 13: Mathew Skipwith-Garland, 14: Emoni Narawa, 15: Kaleb Trask
Reserves: Nathan Vella, Jordan Lay, Ross Geldenhuys, Scott Curry, Zane Kapeli, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Dan Hollinshead, Regan Ware