Canterbury, Waikato out in front

Canterbury and Waikato will set the pace into the final round of the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership next weekend.

The defending champions scored seven tries to four to beat Counties Manukau 39-22 in Christchurch yesterday, and should wrap up top spot for the playoffs when they host bottomplaced Auckland on Saturday.

Waikato trail by two points and travel to Albany to face North Harbour next weekend, after they beat the Manawatu¯ Cyclones 31-8 at Waikato Stadium on Saturday.

That victory moved them past Counties Manukau who now sit third while the Cyclones round out the top-four just a point ahead of Bay of Plenty.

The Volcanix closed the gap with a 34-29 win over the Auckland Storm at Eden Park on Friday night and will jostle with the Cyclones for the fourth and final playoff spot.

In the Championship, the Wellington Pride secured a home semifinal after a big win over fourth-placed North Harbour on Saturday.

The Pride eased to a 50-10 victory at Windsor Park in Auckland on Saturday, their fourth of the season.

Hawke’s Bay moved up to second in the Championship, two points behind the Pride, with a 47-12 win over Tasman on Sunday.

In Saturday’s final game, at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth, the third-placed Otago Spirit thumped the winless Taranaki Whio 65-0.