Counties beat Auckland in FPC
Counties Manukau Heat put on an outstanding display of rugby to beat Auckland 31-12 in the Farah Palmer Cup on Saturday.
In the big game of the round, in Pukekohe, the Heat were able to comfortably defeat an Auckland team that smashed Tasman 86-0 last weekend.
Piliu Feofa’aki scored two tries for Counties while Aotearoa Matau and Waikohika Flesher also bagged five-pointers. It was also an impressive day with the boot for Counties halfback Marino-tauhinu, who goaled four conversions and a penalty.
For Counties, this was a real test of where they stand and they showed they have the potential to make the final again this year.
Counties are tied at the top of the premiership table after three rounds with defending champions Canterbury, who handed Waikato their first loss, with a 28-10 result in Christchurch.
Waikato are two points back, level with Manawatu, who kept Bay of Plenty winless with a 22-10 victory in Palmerston North.
In the championship division, Wellington hold a one-point advantage over Otago, after beating
At a glance
them 38-10 in Porirua.
Hawke’s Bay are in third spot after a 55-10 thrashing of winless Taranaki in Inglewood, while in yesterday’s game North Harbour picked up their first win of the campaign with a 51-14 romp over Tasman in Albany. Farah Palmer Cup, round 3:
Canterbury 28 (Becky Davidson 2, Stephanie Te Ohaere-fox, Sam Curtis tries; Kendra Cocksedge con, 2 pen) Waikato 10 (Karli Faneva try; Chelsea Alley con, pen).
Wellinton 38 (Ayesha Leti-liga 2, Angeline Uila, Jackie Patea-fereti, Bernadette Robertson tries; Amanda Rasch 5 con, pen) Otago 10 (Kiana Wereta, Amy du Plessis tries).
Counties Manukau 31 (Aotearoa Matau, Waikohika Flesher, Piliu Feofa’aki 2 tries; Arihiana Marino-tauhinu 4 con, pen) Auckland 12 (Natahlia Moors, Ruahei Demant tries; Demant con).
Manawatu 22 (Selica Winiata, Lauren Balsillie, Megan Gaffney, Vaine Greig tries; Kalyn Takitimu-cook con) Bay of Plenty 10 (Baye Jacob try; Renee Holmes con; Sapphire Tapsell pen).
Hawke’s Bay 55 (Scorers not provided) Taranaki 10
Awhina Blackburn-kingi tries).
North Harbour 51 (Pia Tapsell 2, Juliana Newman 2, Amy Robertshaw, Sophie Fisher, Katelyn Hilton, Kelsey Macdonald, Claudia Mcmeekin tries; Fisher 3 con)
Tasman 14 (Hayley Hutana, Michelle Curry tries; Hutana con).