NPC semi-finalists emerging
Who’s hot and who’s not has become abundantly clear after week seven of this year’s Mitre 10 Cup.
Provinces set for semi-final spots have come to the fore in the premiership and championship divisions and Canterbury are one more Ranfurly Shield defence away from keeping it for the summer.
Their seventh defence, a comfortable 37-17 win over Waikato in Christchurch on Saturday, sent them back to top spot ahead of an intriguing clash with secondplaced Taranaki next Friday, which will go a long way to deciding who finishes first ahead of the finals.
The Log O’ Wood also goes on the line again in what’s likely to be Canterbury’s sternest challenge of 2017, but both themselves and Taranaki are guaranteed of at least contesting the premiership semifinals.
Taranaki beat Tasman 40-26 last Thursday, in a game where Makos winger Viliami Lolohea was sent off after receiving two yellow cards for dangerous tackles on Seta Tamanivalu, to take spot prior to Canterbury’s victory over Waikato.
North Harbour, who occupy third place, just need a point in their final three games to claim a semi-final place with Canterbury and Taranaki after scraping past Hawke’s Bay in Albany on Friday.
Bryn Gatland’s late penalty secured a 33-30 victory for Harbour against a much-improved Hawke’s Bay outfit, who’ve still won just once and only have winless Southland beneath them on the championship ladder.
Auckland grabbed a vital win against Bay of Plenty at Eden Park on Saturday to move off the bottom of the premiership and look at potentially nabbing fourth from Tasman in the final two rounds.
A crucial 38-19 bonus point victory saw Auckland leapfrog Waikato and Counties Manukau into fifth spot.
The Mooloos suffered their fifth consecutive defeat against Canterbury and haven’t registered a competition point in their last four matches. Waikato’s wretched run leaves them rock bottom battling relegation with Auckland and Counties and all three need points in their final two games to confirm their premiership status for next year.
Canterbury scored all 37 points against Waikato in 24 minutes either side of half-time as the Mooloos battled away but ultimately for no reward.
The red and black machine clicked into gear to score four well taken tries that were enough to beat Waikato, who won the second half but that’s all.
Stephen Donald’s try helped Counties to a vital 25-16 win over Northland in Pukekohe on Sunday, which sees the Steelers
move level on points with fifthplaced Auckland and above Waikato.
Week seven had started with Northland’s narrow victory over Otago in Whangarei last Wednesday, which was a crucial result for the Taniwha.
Northland won 32-30 to shore up their place among the semifinalists and they stay in fourth despite losing to Counties in the week’s final fixture.
Wellington will have hosting rights for the championship final should they get there after beating Otago in Wellington on Sunday.
The Lions recorded their seventh win of the season to confirm top spot after edging second-placed Otago 27-24.
Southland registered their first competition point in losing 25-20 to Manawatu in Invercargill on Saturday.
The Stags have played eight, lost eight, as the Turbos held on for a third consecutive victory that keeps them well in command of their hunt for a championship semi-final spot, in a division where Wellington have set the pace from week one.
Bay of Plenty, who occupy fifth, can still make the top four but rely on those above slipping up after their defeat in Auckland, while Hawke’s Bay are stuck in sixth with no hope of finals footy.