Rugby

With the Bledisloe Cup safe and only pride at stake, there is perhaps more interest in the Mitre 10 Cup semifinals. Wellington and Northland got the ball rolling last night and Bay of Plenty are in Tauranga this afternoon to play Otago in the second Championship semifinal. The Premiership semis follow, Canterbury at home to surprise packet North Harbour in the early game. They met at QBE in round six, with the visitors snapping Harbour's unbeaten run 41- 28. Harbour lost only one more — to Tasman 21- 14 in the penultimate round — and finished on a high with a big win over Taranaki. Canterbury also lost twice, to Wellington and Taranaki, but missed top spot by a point to the ' Naki. Taranaki host Tasman in the second semifinal confident they can repeat their earlier win over Tasman — 40- 26 in round seven. Tasman lost their first two, won their next four before going down to Taranaki and then last weekend to Counties Manukau, who finished one place outside the top four. The Championship final will be played on Friday night, after the Farah Palmer Cup final, which will also be shown live. Today's Farah Palmer Cup semifinal between Canterbury and Waikato is also live. Ellerslie v Suburbs New Lynn, Michaels Ave; Eden Roskill v Waitakere, Keith Hay Park; North Shore v Birkenhead City, Devonport Domain.

Premier women, Pearl Dawson Trophy, Twenty20 Championship, round three ( 11am), Takapuna v Waitakere, Orakei Domain; Howick Pakuranga v Papatoetoe, Orakei Domain; Parnell v Cornwall, Shore Rd. Round four ( 3pm), Parnell v Waitakere, Shore Rd; Cornwall v Papatoetoe, Orakei Domain; Howick Pakuranga v Takapuna, Orakei Domain. Hamilton Wanderers v Tasman United, Porritt Stadium 1pm; Southern United v Auckland City, Sunnyvale Park 2pm; Team Wellington v Eastern Suburbs, David Farrington Park 2pm; Canterbury United Dragons v Waitakere United, English Park 4.35pm. Monday, Hawke’s Bay United v Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Bluewater Stadium, Napier 4.35pm.

National Women’s League, tomorrow, Central v Southern United, Memorial Park Palmerston North noon; WaiBOP v Northern, John Kerkhof Park Cambridge 1pm; Auckland v Capital, Keith Hay Park 1pm.