Canterbury will play Counties Manukau, Otago will play Waikato, Bay of Plenty will meet Tasman while Hawke's Bay will host Taranaki.
Results from the weekend were:
North Harbour 15 Southland 14
It was the dance of the desperates in Albany as Southland sought a fourth win to lift them to a rare place in the middle of the table, while North Harbour's effort was always about getting their first win of the season. Southland struck first, through its lineout. Just out from the North Harbour line, they worked the ball towards the goalposts, and lock Ale Aho had enough power and body length to be able to put the ball down over the line in the eighth minute. Then, in the 26th minute, another lineout saw the maul put to use for hooker Nic Souchon to slip through the middle of the breaking maul to score.
North Harbour responded from a messy lineout before the big men set about tidying things up. No8 Donald Coleman then straightened the line as he drove hard at the line. From there, flanker Jed Melvin picked the ball up and drove over by the posts after 30 minutes. North Harbour's confidence lifted, but handling mistakes provided a cushion for the Southland defence. Southland conceded a penalty five minutes into the second half, which first five-eighths Cam Howell landed. Soon after, prop Jack Sexton was sin-binned after a warning about penalties, but the home team couldn't take advantage. Six minutes from time, North Harbour managed continuity, and replacement back Siaosi Nginingini scored to claim the lead. Southland had a final chance when wing Michael Manson kicked ahead, won the race, but couldn't control the wet ball, and the die was cast.
North Harbour 15 (Jed Melvin, Siaosi Nginingini tries; Cam Howell con, pen) Southland 14 (Ale Aho, Nic Souchon tries; Mike Muliaina 2 con). HT: 7-14
Auckland 17 Otago 51
Otago wasted no time, taking only three minutes to open the scoring at Auckland Grammar. It came from a lineout, a strong run by second five-eighths Thomas Umaga-Jensen, who took the ball to the line, with halfback Nathan Hastie getting over. Auckland came back two minutes later when back play resulted in fullback Cohen Norrie running into a gap to reply. Reverting to their forward drive, and an Umaga-Jensen drive, resulting in his scoring a try to go to a 14-5 lead. Two minutes later, in the 26th, Auckland's clearance of a kick was slow. It was charged down by first five-eighths Cameron Millar, who regained the ball with ease to score. A minute before the break, Auckland collapsed an Otago maul to concede a penalty try and lost prop Angus Ta'avao to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.
Auckland scored a second try, through constant build-up, before a long pass allowed wing Caleb Tangitau to score in the corner. However, indiscipline from Auckland proved fatal, as Millar enjoyed a big goal-kicking day with 19 points from his boot, while Otago's support play was rewarded when wing Samuel Nemec-Vial scored with six minutes remaining. Replacement prop A-One Lolofie then went over from another Otago driving maul. Sam Hainsworth Fa'aofo got one back for Auckland, but the outcome summed up Auckland's season as they finished third from the bottom of the points table.
Auckland 17 (Cohen Norrie, Caleb Tangitau, Sam Hainsworth-Fa'aofo tries; Rico Simpson con) Otago 51 (Nathan Hastie, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Cameron Millar, Samuel Nemec-Vial, A-One Lolofie tries; Penalty Try; Millar 5 con, 3 pen) HT: 5-28
Wellington 26 Bay of Plenty 33
Sparkling running from wing Stanley Solomon got Wellington on the attack early against Bay of Plenty and, in the resulting play, second five-eighths Julian Savea got over the line after nine minutes to gain reward. Then, more running play saw flanker Sione Halalilo emerge from a tackle breakdown to score a second for the home team. Solomon picked up an unlikely try after Bay of Plenty attempted to keep the ball in, at the corner, only for Solomon to snaffle the ball over the line for a try. Down 0-21, Bay of Plenty lifted, and in the 33rd minute, it was halfback Charlie Sinton who slipped through and scored from a scrum.
A dropped ball by first five-eighths Jackson Garden-Bachop out from his 22m line was kicked ahead by Sinton, who dived through the chasing Wellington defenders to gather the ball on the slide, and then got up with his momentum to score after 56 seconds. By seven minutes in the half, a Sinton run from a lineout, and an in-pass to blindside wing Fehi Fineanganofo saw him score to wipe out Wellington's advantage at 21-21. Into the final quarter, Bay of Plenty lifted the tempo with wide passes putting replacement back Ngarohi McGarvey-Black over in the corner. A spectacular response from Solomon diving at the corner pulled Wellington level, but the final say came when replacement Reon Paul capped some fine forward assaults for Bay of Plenty to secure their finals spot.
Wellington 26 (Julian Savea, Sione Halalilo, Stanley Solomon 2 tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 3 con) Bay of Plenty 33 (Charlie Sinton 2, Fehi Fineanganofo, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Reon Paul tries; Seamus Bardoul 4 con). HT: 21-7
Waikato 25 Northland 19
Superb Northland mauling in the first five minutes saw them strike first in Hamilton against Waikato when hooker Matt Moulds crossed for a textbook try. Into the 14th minute, Northland worked a scrum move 40m out from the line. Second five-eighths Corey Evans flicked a strong pass inside where fullback Jordan Trainor entered the line, broke through and found support from wing Paula Balekana. He was taken down with a no-arms shoulder charge, which saw flanker Malachi Wrampling-Alec sin-binned after No8 Terrell Peita scored under advantage. Waikato finally got their flow going and again, under advantage, it was wing Oli Mathis who took the ball from first five-eighths Aaron Cruden to score in the 21st minute. Wrampling-Alec came back and scored two minutes before the break.
Seven minutes into the second half, Waikato moved the ball for flanker Mitchell Jacobson, in the centres, to give wing Waisake Salabiau enough room to put his speed to use and score while staying on the right side of the TMO. Peita made a decisive break towards the line after 54 minutes, and in the resulting play, fullback Jordan Trainor cut back against the grain to score behind the posts to level the score. Infringements at a ruck and on the offside line resulted in Cruden landing two penalty goals to secure the win.
Waikato 25 (Oli Mathis, Malachi Wrampling-Alec, Waisake Salabiau tries; Aaron Cruden 2 con, 2 pen) Northland 19 (Matt Moulds, Terrell Peita, Jordan Trainor tries; Jade Stewart 2 con). HT: 14-12
Manawatū 10 Hawke's Bay 38
Delayed Hawke's Bay passes cut Manawatū's defences open within three minutes at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North. Fullback Zarn Sullivan made 40m off the first pass by wing James Lowe, and then from a goal-line ruck centre Anaru Paenga-Morgan was given the perfect run in by first five-eighths Lincoln McClutchie. Sullivan was in the action again when picking off uncontrolled ball from a Manawatū kick ahead, and setting up play that ended 15m out from the line. In the resulting play, a long pass from halfback Folau Fakatava saw wing Neria Fomai unchallenged to score in the 26th minute. And in just reward after build-up work by front rowers Kianu Kereru-Symes and Pouri Rakete-Stones and flanker Miracle Failagi, it was Sullivan who scored after the halftime hooter.
Replacement hooker Jacob Devery scored 14 minutes into the second half, after the Bay had been troubled to get over after an extensive period on attack. One of those hard-working deniers for Manawatū, hooker Vernon Basson got the payoff with his side's first try, running out on the wing heading into the final quarter. That drew an instant response with Bay No8 Devan Flanders kicking ahead and winning the race to score. Manawatū benefited from a quick throw-in that saw wing James Tofa run in a try. The final Bay try to seal a top four finish came from Sullivan and McClutchie combining to put Fomai in for his second try.
Manawatū 10 (Vernon Bason, James Tofa tries) Hawke's Bay 38 (Anaru Paenga-Morgan, Neria Fomai 2, Zarn Sullivan, Jacob Devery, Devan Flanders; Lincoln McClutchie 4 con). HT: 0-21
Tasman 41 Counties Manukau 49
Counties Manukau had a playoff place as their goal against Tasman in Nelson and they made the best start when prop Keran van Staden scored from a rolling lineout maul nine minutes into the contest. Flanker Cameron Church and second five-eighths Gibson Popali'i set up another try with strong runs that saw halfback Cohen Brady-Leathem score five minutes later. But Tasman struck back when NZ Under-20s centre Cooper Roberts pulled off an intercept to run 75 metres to score. Wing Josh Gray's speed negated Tasman's score when flanker Adam Brash was on hand from the tackle ruck to score. Then, in the 25th minute, home lock Quinten Strange pulled off the feat of intercepting Brady-Leathem's goal-line pass from a lineout to score. Wing Kyren Taumoefolau was on the end of a Roberts long pass to score out wide, and Brash scored a second just before the half-time break after more set-up work by Gray.
Roberts scored a scintillating solo try, showcasing his speed to effect in the second half, and got Tasman within a point at 26-27. However, Counties came back immediately when a David Havili kick was charged down, and Brash was on hand to complete a hat-trick of tries. That was followed by Counties fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo's class when putting a kick to Tasman's 22, from 60 metres out. He chased through and caught William Havili. When the ball rolled free in the tackle, Nanai-Seturo pounced on it to score in the corner. In the 52nd minute, Gray followed a kick through, and in the following play, Nanai-Seturo crossed for his second. Replacement Tasman wing Will Thornalley was able to cross on the blindside from a lineout maul to be followed by wing Macca Springer scoring in the same corner, and replacement Tone Ng Shiu capped the day for the home team with the last try, but it was all too late.
Tasman 41 (Cooper Roberts 2, Quinten Strange, Kyren Taumoefolau, Will Thornalley, Macca Springer, Tone Ng Shiu tries; William Havili 3 con) Counties Manukau 49 (Keran van Staden, Cohen Brady-Leathem, Adam Brash 3, Etene Nanai-Seturo 2 tries; AJ Alatimu 4 con, 2 pen). HT: 19-27
Canterbury 34 Taranaki 14
Canterbury utilised wet-weather rugby in its quest to finish in top place when hosting Taranaki in Christchurch. The game was five minutes old when flanker Zach Gallagher blasted over on the blindside of a goal-line ruck. Then, in the 18th minute, first five-eighths Andrew Knewstubb's 50:22 set up a chance from a midfield ruck, where he fed fullback Chay Fihaki in for their second try. Taranaki used their lineout to set up a chance from halfway after 25 minutes. When play stopped for a midfield ruck, the ball was cleared for No8 Kaylum Boshier to feed centre Daniel Rona in a strong downfield before passing out to wing Adam Lennox, who cut back in to beat the defence and score. But that merely poked the Canterbury bear, and after a kick to the Taranaki line by second five-eighths Dallas McLeod, the home forwards went to work with Gallagher crossing for his second. Two seconds before halftime was called, outstanding Canterbury support play saw Gallagher complete his first-half hat-trick of tries.
The relentless combination work continued into the second half, and after two minutes, hooker George Bell scored. But 10 minutes into the half, Taranaki flanker Arese Poliko capped some rare time in the Canterbury 22 with a try. However, the momentum stayed with Canterbury, who sealed the game off a Taranaki lineout overthrow 10m out from their line. Canterbury powered its way to the line, where replacement prop Daniel Lienert-Brown drove through to score.
Canterbury 34 ( Zach Gallagher 3, Chay Fihaki, George Bell, Daniel Lienert-Brown tries; Fihaki 2 con) Taranaki 14 ( Adam Lennox, Arese Poliko tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con). HT: 22-7
