Taranaki 36 (Tupou Vaa'i 2, Ricky Riccitelli, Jordie Barrett tries; penalty try Jordie Barrett 3 con, pen) Bay of Plenty 29 (Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Keepa Mewett, Emoni Narawa, Fa’asiu Fuatai tries; Dan Hollinshead 2 con, Otere Black pen, con). HT: 24-19
Northland 43 (Sam Caird, Sam Nock, Sam McNamara, Jordan Olsen, Wiseguy Fiane, Rene Ranger tries; Dan Hawkins, Wiseguy Fiane 2 cons; Hawkins pen). Manawatu 26 (Sam Stewart, James Tofa, tries; Ben Wyness 2 con, 4 pen) HT: Northland 22-20.
Southland 16 (Greg Pleasants-Tate 2 tries, Scott Eade 2 pens). Hawke's Bay 10 (Ash Dixon 2 tries) HT: Hawke's Bay 10-6
FULLTIME - The Stags secure a tighthead on the Hawke's Bay 5m attacking scrum with time expired to hold on for a fantastic, hard-fought victory.
70 mins - Eade's penalty attempt from deep is just wide of the posts.
50 mins - TRY SOUTHLAND - Pleasants-Tate picks and burrows and over from a close range ruck for his second try of the day. Conversion is wide.
45 mins - TRY SOUTHLAND - A clinical rolling maul sees Greg Pleasants-Tate over for the line. Ideal tactics in these conditions, and the Stags reclaim the lead.
Second half is underway...
HALFTIME
40 mins - TRY HAWKE'S BAY - Ash Dixon grabs his second try in similar fashion to his first, keeping things tight after a period of sustained tryline pressure to give his side their first lead right on halftime. McClutchie can't convert.
19 mins - TRY HAWKE'S BAY - Ash Dixon finishes off the 5m lineout drive to score the game's first try. McClutchie hits the post with his conversion.
13 mins - Eades another straightforward penalty for Southland to extend their early lead.
5 mins - Scott Eade gets the Stags on the scoreboard first with a penalty.
1 min - Conditions are - shock horror - positively miserable in Invercargill. This should play well into the hosts' hands.
We're underway...
Join us back here at 4:35pm for Southland's clash with Hawke's Bay in Invercargill.
Taranaki 36 (Tupou Vaa'i 2, Ricky Riccitelli, Jordie Barrett tries; penalty try Jordie Barrett 3 con, pen) Bay of Plenty 29 (Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Keepa Mewett, Emoni Narawa, Fa’asiu Fuatai tries; Dan Hollinshead 2 con, Otere Black pen, con). HT: 24-19
Northland 43 (Sam Caird, Sam Nock, Sam McNamara, Jordan Olsen, Wiseguy Fiane, Rene Ranger tries; Dan Hawkins, Wiseguy Fiane 2 cons; Hawkins pen). Manawatu 26 (Sam Stewart, James Tofa, tries; Ben Wyness 2 con, 4 pen) HT: Northland 22-20.
FULLTIME - Decent spectacle in Inglewood, with Taranaki's early second-half blitz proving the difference, running in five tries to four against a gallant Steamers side playing their first match since promotion.
Check out the video above for the game's best tries, including a score for Jordie Barrett in his debut for his hometown province.
80 mins - BOP defenders swarming to try and force a mistake. Naki patiently playing through their forwards, edging inside the BOP 10m...the clock hits 80 mins and a kick is sent into touch to end the game.
78 mins - BOP knock on, and Naki will feed a scrum - very slowly - at halfway.
Fulltime in Whangarei, as Northland beat Manawatu 43-26.
77 mins - Naki with possession at halfway. Kicks traded and BOP end up with the ball at their own 10m. Time to chance their arm here.
75 mins - TRY BAY OF PLENTY - Hold the phone, we still have a game here! Far too easy for BOP from a 5m scrum, Black slinging a pinpoint long pass to wing Fuatai to stroll over. Black converts, and they're back in this one.
70 mins - TRY TARANAKI - Walden cuts inside a defender, finds a streaking a Wainui with a precision long ball, and Jordie Barrett latches on to an inside pass to cross for his first Taranaki try. That could be the dagger for the Naki.
67 mins - BOP make a meal of their own scrum and gift Naki an attacking 22m loosehead.
64 mins - Penalty Naki for collapsing the maul. This time he'll look for touch, 5m lineout on the way. Crooked throw lets BOP off the hook.
Northland now out to a 34-26 advantage over Manawatu with 5 mins left.
62 mins - Joe Webber tucks the ball to end a kicking duel, and BOP are down to the Naki 10m and building. Naki defence holds firm and wins a penalty at the ruck. B. Barrett sends them back to the BOP 10m for a lineout, then makes his way off the field as the subs are run.
59 mins - Naki with a massive shunt at the scrum and they win a penalty for their efforts. Jordie Barrett wants another crack at the posts, about 35m on the angle here... and he's sprayed it slightly right.
Checking in at Whangarei, Northland lead Manawatu 29-23 with 20 minutes to play.
57 mins - Beauden B with another error off the boot, sends it into touch on the full. BOP lineout at halfway. Ormond reads the BOP backline move perfectly and makes a great spot tackle on Narawa to force a fumble. Naki scrum at the BOP 10m.
53 mins - BOP building now, putting some phases together. Black unleashes his wing with a superb skip pass but Naki win a defensive penalty. Lineout at the BOP 10m.
51 mins - TRY TARANAKI - Spectacular passing interplay sees the ball seemingly go through every players' hands. Right to left touchline, and Tupou Vaa'i finishes the movement for his second try of the day. Jordie B with an excellent conversion. (Taranaki 31-22)
50 mins - Naki penalty at halfway. Jordie B not interested in a shot at goal this time, and Beauden B finds touch inside the BOP 22m. BOP steal the lineout and look to work their way out of danger.
47 mins - Great clearance from Black pins Naki deep. Beauden replies with a ripper of his own, and we'll have a BOP lineout just inside halfway. Stolen by the Naki, and they move inside the BOP half...
In Whangarei, Sam McNarama has scored for Northland to extend their lead to 29-20 over Manawatu.
45 mins - Penalty advantage blown up for BOP. Otere Black will look to the posts here, 40m out and dead in front... over it goes. (Taranaki 24-22)
44 mins - Naki find touch 8m from halfway. 3 mins until BOP's Aaron Carroll returns from the bin.
43 mins - Bizarre sequence here, as Lewis Ormond appears to have clearly knocked on. Everyone stops, including Ormond. But with no whistle forthcoming, Ormond sets off for the line, sells a huge dummy and runs in to score. Referee has sent this for review... and the knock on is confirmed. BOP scrum at the Naki 10m.
41 mins - Beauden B sends a kick out on the full and BOP will set a lineout at the Naki 22m.
Second half underway...
HALFTIME - A high-scoring half comes to an end, three tries apiece as they head into the sheds.
Meanwhile in Whangarei, hosts Northland lead Manawatu 22-20 at the end of their first half.
Josh Goodhue, Sam Nock, and Kara Pryor have all scored tries for the Taniwha, while Sam Stewart and James Tofa have dotted down for the Turbos.
39 mins - Beauden unleashes an 80m punt that takes a tough break to roll dead. BOP scrum at the Naki 22m.
38 mins - TRY TARANAKI - Riccitelli holding at the back of the maul as the forwards charge over the chalk, but somehow a BOP defender gets underneath the hooker and forces the knock on. Incredible defensive play. Referee wants to go upstairs and check this. Hold on, they've deemed the defender Carroll has come around the side of the maul. He's shown a yellow card and Naki are awarded a penalty try.
36 mins - Naki look to respond quickly and they're down to the BOP 22m. Penalty awarded, and they'll setup a 5m lineout.
33 mins - TRY BAY OF PLENTY - Chase Tiatia with a magical offload in the tackle for Narawa, who runs a hard line right into the corner. Hollinshead can't convert. (BOP 19-17)
30 mins - Jordie B into a huge hole from the set play, links with Wainui on the double but the next past drifts forward. BOP scrum at halfway, and another penalty. BOP to throw the lineout at the Naki 22m.
28 mins - Penalty Naki and Jordie B wants to have a crack at the posts here from 50m on the angle. Stiff wind at his back....and he makes it with ease. Wow.
25 mins - TRY TARANAKI - Nifty setpiece move sees a blindside shortball delivered to a barnstorming Riccitelli off the lineout throw and the hooker is over in the corner. Jordie B nails the conversion from the sidleline. (14-14)
24 mins - Textbook rolling maul from the lineout, as the forwards rumble 10m and over the line. Peenalty Naki, they'll reset 5m out this time and no doubt roll the maul again.
23 mins - Naki now with some field possession off the back of a penalty. Beauden B's touchfinder takes them to a lineout 10m from the tryline. Naki maul effectively from the lineout, marching towards the line...
20 mins - TRY BAY OF PLENTY - Too much tryline pressure applied by a relentless string of BOP forward runners on the pick and go, and eventually it's Keepa Mewett who crosses next to the posts. Conversion is an easy one.
19 mins - BOP win another penalty after just a few phases. This time they opt to set the 5m scrum. Cane picks up at the back and makes a powerful surge, dragged down a metre short...
17 mins - Penalty to BOP for a high tackle. They'll look to another lineout, 15m from the Naki line.
13 mins - BOP nab another offside penalty. Lineout forms at the Naki 22m, another chance for points here. Scratch that, the throw is a shocker and Jordie B unleashes a clearing punt. Naki end with a lineout at the BOP 10m. Another wonky throw and now BOP will feed a scrum.
11 mins - TRY BAY OF PLENTY - Narawa makes a slick break down the blindside, finds Tahuriorangi inside in support and the halfback runs in his team's first try. Easy conversion, and we're all locked up.
10 mins - Same Cane carries hard into contact but his All Blacks teammate Beauden is up to the task and rips the ball free. Poor kick gives the ball back to BOP.
8 mins - Offside penalty for the Naki. BOP will attack from a lineout inside the Naki 22m.
6 mins - Naki straight back on attack, making excellent metres until a stray pass ends the movement. BOP scrum at their own 22m.
3 mins - TRY TARANAKI - The Barretts combine on the kick return counter attack, Beauden links with Lewis Ormond who makes a lovely offload to Tupou Vaa'i, and the new All Black runs it around to score the game's first try. Jordie Barrett slots the conversion, his first ever points for Taranaki. (Taranaki 7-0)
2 mins - Aerial ping-pong ensues, BOP end with a lineout at the Naki 10m.
1 min - Taranaki launch from a lineout. Barrett bombs and they resecure possession. Moving to the 22m now.
We're underway...
2pm - Beautiful conditions in Inglewood today, save for fairly stiff wind. Should be a great spectacle, nonetheless. Sam Cane heads out to the pitch with his teammates, he'll start at No.8 today.
We'll have all the live action from 2:05pm, as the Barrett brothers' Taranaki square off with Sam Cane's Steamers at TET Stadium.
From 4:35pm, we'll move to Invercargill, where Southland host Hawke's Bay.
Line ups:
Taranaki: 1-Jared Proffit, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Ben May, 4-Josh Lord, 5-Tupou Vaa'i, 6-Mitchell Brown, 7-Lachlan Boshier, 8-Mitchell Crosswell, 9-Lisati Milo-Harris, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Lewis Ormond, 12-Teihorangi Walden, 13-Sean Wainui, 14-Jacob Ratumatayuki-Kneepkens, 15-Jordie Barrett
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Reuden O'Neill, 18-Donald Brighouse, 19-Tom Florence, 20-Kaylum Boshier, 21-Warwick Lahmert, 22-Jayson Potroz, 23-Codey Rei
Bay of Plenty: TBC
Southland: TBC
Hawke's Bay: TBC
Betting odds:
Northland - $1.59 Manawatu - $2.25
Taranaki - $1.50 Bay of Plenty - $2.45
Southland - $7.70 Hawke's Bay - $1.06
