Darry Worthington takes a look at all the weekend's NPC action below.
Friday 8 September
Waikato 9/5 | Draw 25/1 | Wellington 2/5
We kick things off at the FMG Stadium where ninth-placed Waikato will take on table-toppers Wellington. The hosts really need to cause a massive upset here in order to keep their semi-finals hopes alive while a win for the visitors will all but ensure a semi-final berth.
Waikato have had a tough time of it so far this season and have only registered two wins from their six games with those victories coming over Southland (21-29) and Counties Manukau (37-15). They head into Friday’s clash off the back of a demoralizing 39-17 loss to North Harbour.
While their opponents for Friday have struggled, the same cannot be said to the visitors who are the only undefeated team in the ‘comp with last weekend’s 56-25 victory over Counties seeing them go six from six!
The Lions should have no problems taking the win here as they are in a completely different school let alone another class when compared to their hosts.
Verdict: Wellington
Saturday 9 September
Counties Manukau 24/100 | Draw 33/1 | Southland 11/4
On to Saturday’s action now and we kick things off with a clash between strugglers Counties Manukau and Southland. This game is basically the battle to avoid the wooden spoon with Southland rooted to the foot of the ladder while Counties are five points and two places above them in 12th.
The visitors are yet to register a win this term with last weekend’s 13-41 defeat to Auckland their fourth of the campaign with their only log points coming courtesy of their 15-15 draw with Northland back in mid-August.
Counties have fared slightly better winning one of their five fixtures while claiming four bonus points. They have struggled in recent weeks though shipping loads of points during their 37-15 loss to Waikato and their 56-25 loss to Wellington.
I reckon this will be a tight old clash and I can see the hosts edging it by no more than six points.
Verdict: Counties
Hawke’s Bay | Draw | Bay of Plenty
It’s over to McLean Park for our next installment which will have a massive bearing on who makes the semi-finals with sixth-placed Hawke’s Bay taking on seventh-placed Bay of Plenty. Only three points separate the sides on the NPC log but a loss would put a dent in either sides’ ‘semis hopes.
Hawke’s Bay have the slightly better record this term winning four of their six fixtures but Bay of Plenty do have a game in hand having yet to play a midweek fixtures. The hosts’ form has also been pretty poor over the past fortnight as they were hammered 41-22 by Auckland and then suffered another heavy defeat this past weekend as they went down 44-21 to Northland.
Bay of Plenty have fared better in recent weeks as they have beaten Taranaki 26-29 and then Otago 38-14.
The Rollers are hitting their straps at just the right time and I can see them making it three wins in three weeks here.
Verdict: Bay of Plenty
Auckland 21/20 | Draw 22/1 | Canterbury 3/4
Up next is undoubtedly the clash of the weekend with old rivals Canterbury and Auckland squaring off at the hallowed ground that is Eden Park. The two sides are currently level on log points at 22 a piece but Canterbury sit a spot above Auckland due to points differential. The visitors also have a game in hand.
Both teams come into this one off the back of crucial wins with Auckland bouncing back from their shock 31-33 defeat to Manawatu by claiming a 13-41 bonus point win over Southland while Canterbury rebounded from their 31-36 defeat to log-leaders Wellington with a narrow 29-28 win over in-form Taranaki.
This game should be great entertainment value and I reckon the points will flow. I can see the hosts coming out on top in a high-scoring thriller.
Verdict: Auckland
Sunday 10 September
Taranaki 21/20 | Draw 22/1 | Tasman 3/4
It’s another belter of a game that will kick things off on Sunday with second-placed Taranaki taking on fifth-placed Tasman. Only four log points separate the sides on the standings and a win for the visitors could well see them leapfrog their opponents
The hosts have continued to give a solid account of themselves in recent week but luck has not been on their side of late with a late Bay of Plenty try seeing them lose 26-29 to the Rollers two weeks ago while a late missed conversion saw them fall agonizingly close of beating Canterbury this past weekend.
Tasman have enjoyed the more profitable fortnight of the two sides with the Markos beating North Harbour 20-15 and then Manawatu 58-19.
I fancy the visitors here. They looked a vastly improved side against Manawatu and I reckon they’ll get the job done this Sunday morning.
Verdict: Tasman
Manawatu 23/10 | Draw 28/1 | North Harbour 31/100
The penultimate game of the round will see 11th-placed Manawatu take on tenth-placed North Harbour. and while there are still three rounds of the regular season to go following this round, a loss for either side would all but end their play-off hopes.
Manawatu have only registered two wins from the six games they have played this term with those victories coming over Northland (31-30) in Round 4 and Auckland (31-33) in the same game week. They have struggled since that victory over Auckland going down 58-19 to Tasman the following week.
North Harbour have also only registered two wins this term with their first victory coming in this past weekend where they beat Waikato 39-17. They managed to keep the good times rolling in their midweek fixture staging a dramatic 27-24 come-from-behind victory over Otago.
They’re on a good run of for and I can see the visitors making it three wins from three starts here.
Verdict: North Harbour
Otago 5/6| Draw 20/1 | Northland 20/21
The round’s action comes to a close at Forsyth Barr where 12th-placed Otago will square off eighth-placed Northland. The visitors are still in with a shout of claiming a semi-final berth as they sit nine points adrift of fourth-placed Auckland, however, a defeat here would kill their play-off hopes.
Otago have endured a dire season and are near the doldrums of the log sitting seven points off cellar-dwellers Southland. Their recent form has been pretty poor as they have gone down 38-14 to Bay of Plenty and then threw away a big lead to go down 27-24 to North Harbour this past Wednesday.
Northland have had a more productive time of late going down 30-31 to Manawatu but claiming a losing bonus point and then beating a solid Hawke’s Bay outfit 44-21 this past weekend.
Otago have been poor this term and I cannot see them getting the win over a solid Northland side.
Verdict: Northland
