The Bay of Plenty Steamers have bounced back from their loss to Auckland last weekend, beating North Harbour 27-19 today in Albany.
However, they did it the hard way, conceding a ton of penalties both at scrum time and in general play. Māori All Black Mitch Karpik opened the scoring for the visitors with a close-range try in just the third minute, but Harbour hit back almost immediately with a try to number 8 Lotu Inisi. Fellow Māori All Black and Chiefs winger Shaun Stevenson then put Harbour ahead after 16 minutes, and it looked as though the game would open up into a high-scoring shootout.
All Blacks Sevens rep Joe Webber then scored for Bay of Plenty with a 60-metre intercept, then Alex Ainley scored to give them a seven-point lead at the break.
However, the game disintegrated into an ill-disciplined mess in the second half. Karpik was sin-binned, but Harbour couldn’t cash in. James Little managed to score a try that brought the home side within five points, but Dan Hollinshead knocked over a penalty for Bay of Plenty on the last play to deny Harbour a bonus point.
Bay of Plenty 27 (Mitch Karpik, Joe Webber, Alex Ainley tries; Dan Hollinshead 3 con, pen) North Harbour 19 (Lotu Inisi, Shaun Stevenson, James Little tries; Matt McGahan 2 con)
HT: 21-14
In other results over the weekend, Auckland and Waikato couldn’t be separated after 80 minutes in Hamilton. Both sides scored two tries each in a dour match, with Waikato first five Fletcher Smith unable to nail a 45-metre penalty on fulltime to win the game.
Waikato 20 (Ollie Norris, Declan O'Donnell tries; Fletcher Smith 2 con, 2 pen)
Auckland 20 (Caleb Clarke, Leni Apisai tries; D'Angelo Leuila con, pen; Daniel Kirkpatrick con, pen)
HT: 14-10
Neria Fomai scored a hat trick to help Hawke's Bay to an entertaining win over Northland in Whangarei yesterday. The Magpies had to work hard for the win, though, with the Taniwha getting out to a 15-5 lead early. However, tries to Fomai and halfback Folau Fakatava meant that Hawke's Bay pulled away late in the second half.
Hawke's Bay 43 (Neria Fomai 3, Caleb Makene 2, Ash Dixon, Folau Fakatava tries; Danny Toala 4 con)
Northland 28 (Temo Mayanavanua, Jack Straker, Jaycob Matiu tries; Jack Debreczeni 2 con, 3 pen)
HT: 22-15
Southland did Canterbury a huge favour and played the traditional powerhouses back into form, essentially providing them with a lightly opposed training run that worked out to be an 80-0 loss in Christchurch. The good news for Steve Hansen was that Ryan Crotty got through his shift well, scoring two tries and proving that he's ready for the World Cup.
Canterbury 80 (Tom Christie, Mitchell Drummond 2, Luke Romano, Ryan Crotty 2, Fergus Burke, Josh McKay 2, Mitchell Dunshea, Dallas McLeod, Luke Whitelock tries; Burke 4 con, Brett Cameron 6 con)
Southland 0
HT: 33-0
On Friday night, Otago defended the Ranfurly Shield, defeating Manawatū 37-20 in Dunedin. Wellington scored a late try after the hooter to pip Counties-Manukau 29-22 in the capital on Thursday.