NPC semifinalists confirmed

With one week remaining in the Mitre 10 Cup regular season, there are a few things we know for sure.

Canterbury, Taranaki, North Harbour and Tasman will play in the Premiership semifinals, but who will play who and where remains a mystery.

Wellington will play in the Championship semifinals, as heavy favourites to win promotion, and they will be joined by three of four possible contenders – Northland, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu¯ , and Otago.

The Taniwha are the most likely to miss out, going by the form book, but we won’t know for sure until the end of the final match next Sunday.

Three of the other five teams – Counties Manukau, Hawke’s Bay and Southland – have nothing left to play for, and can start planning their holidays.

But the same can’t be said for Auckland and Waikato, two proud provinces who are facing the prospect of relegation from the Premiership to the Championship – a relatively minor fall, but a telling one.

Waikato currently sit in the danger zone, after two late yellow cards helped North Harbour to come from behind late and beat them 13-11 at FMG Stadium in Hamilton on Sunday, where Ben Volavola slotted a penalty in stoppage time to give his side the win.

They now lie two points behind Auckland, who lost to Tasman, 31-18 at Trafalgar Park in Nelson earlier that afternoon.

Waikato need Auckland to lose to Canterbury at Eden Park or Friday, then to beat Bay of Plenty themselves in Tauranga the following day to stay up.

At the other end of the table, Tasman’s win on Sunday secured them a place in the semifinals.

It was their second in the space of four days, following their 21-14 triumph over North Harbour at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim on Wednesday.

Those two teams play Counties Manukau and Taranaki respectively in the final week. Taranaki are behind Canterbury only on points difference, but have two games left to play so could be top.