Leaders to meet in crucial clash
The two Mitre 10 Cup pacesetters are set for an early showdown, with Tasman and Auckland putting their unbeaten records on the line when they meet at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.
Tasman, last year’s beaten finalists, continue to lead the premiership standings after beating North Harbour 32-20 at QBE Stadium. It was the Mako’s first win in Albany since 2009.
Tasman were boosted by the inclusion of All Blacks Shannon Frizell and Tim Perry, Frizell getting himself on the scoresheet when he drove over from a ruck after half an hour.
Leon MacDonald’s men have looked impressive in the early stages of 2018, successfully navigating their way through a reasonably tricky opening schedule. But Auckland away is set to be another tough assignment for a team which has only once won its opening four games.
Auckland trail Tasman only on points differential. They accounted for Waikato 35-17 at Eden Park on Thursday, with Jordan Trainor and Robbie Abel bagging doubles in another impressive performance.
But while Auckland are flying high with three wins from three – their best start since 2013 – the same can’t be said for Waikato, who are are treading water in the championship and remain winless after three weeks.
The Mooloos’ task doesn’t get any easier this week either, hosting Wellington in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Wellington will enter that match after an impressive 52-7 rout of strugglers Southland at Westpac Stadium on Friday.
Ben Lam continued his prolific 2018 by collecting a hat-trick of tries as the Lions scored at a rate of one point every minute in the first half. All Blacks flanker Ardie Savea also crossed for a five-pointer.
To Southland’s credit they put in a much more competitive showing in the second half and managed to avoid their record 84-0 defeat, which came against Canterbury in 2012. But still, things are looking pretty bleak down south.
Canterbury, meanwhile, remain just one point behind Wellington after a double to Josh McKay lifted the defending champions to a come-from-behind 31-19 win over Bay of Plenty at Tauranga Domain on Saturday.
Bay of Plenty, who already had two Premiership scalps to their name, led 19-14 early in the second half but were unable to close out the game as they suffered their first defeat.
Otago banked their first win of 2018 after a second-half blitz catapulted the side to a comfortable 50-17 victory over Manawatu¯ at Central Energy Trust Arena on Saturday.
Down 17-14 at halftime, Otago scored 36 unanswered points in the second half. They have now won six of their last seven against the Turbos.
To make matters worse for the home side, Manawatu¯ lost firstfive Jade Te Rure to a suspected broken arm which could be a season-ender.
Sitting behind Canterbury in fifth place are Taranaki. The Ranfurly Shield holders banked their second win of the season as fullback Beaudein Waaka scored 21 points himself to anchor a tight 26-19 win over Counties Manukau earlier in the week.
Counties bounced back yesterday though, with captain Matiaha Martin scoring a 77th-minute matchwinner as the Steelers came from behind to edge Hawke’s Bay 29-25.
In the last match of the round, Northland kicked a penalty on fulltime to beat Taranaki in Whangarei 18-17.