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Counties Manukau 25 Southland 17
Counties - Molia, Roigard, Togiatama tries; Robertson 2 conversions, 2 penalties
Southland - Latu, Lamborn, Tuapati tries; Eade 1 conversion
Fulltime
Counties Manukau have rounded out their season with an entertaining 25-17 victory over Southland in Pukekohe.
The Stags loss sees the Championship's top four locked and loaded for the semi-finals, with just placings to be decided over the remaining games this weekend.
A contentious try to Sione Molia gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead at the break, after the first half was a defensive affair.
Counties came out for the second half on fire, with livewire halfback Cameron Roigard sniping off the back of a lineout drive to extend the Steelers lead.
With their season on the line, Southland fought back with tries to Lamborn and Latu to set up a tense final 20 minutes.
On the stroke of fulltime, the Steelers sealed the deal with a try through replacement hooker Zuriel Togiatama.
Southland scored a late consolation try to Telemaitoga Tuapati, but it was to little to late.
The result means Northland, Taranaki, Otago and Hawke's Bay will contest next week's semis, with the latter two confirmed for home fixtures.
80+2 mins - TRY SOUTHLAND to Telemaitoga Tuapati - Southland finishes their season in style. From a lineout drive, Tuapati crashes over. Dyer misses the conversion (CM 25-17)
80 mins - TRY COUNTIES MANUKAU to Zuriel Togiatama - Counties seal the deal. The Steelers set a lineout maul and execute it perfectly with replacement hooker Togiatama crashing over to score his first Mitre 10 Cup try. Robertson misses the conversion. (CM 25-12)
76 mins - With just four minutes remaining Counties are keeping it tight with their forwards running down the clock. After eight phases, the Stags are called offside and will have a lineout just five metres out.
72 mins - PENALTY COUNTIES MANUKAU to Robertson - A period of helta-skelter play, with both sides throwing the ball around, has resulted in Counties winning a breakdown penalty just 40m out from the Stags line. Sharp-shooter Robertson has a shot at goal, which he nails. (CM 20-12)
68 mins - With the Steelers hot on attack inside the Stags 22, Captain fantastic Lamborn wins a crucial penalty to ease the pressure.
65 min - Southland are back on attack just short of the Counties 22. After eight phases the Steelers win a breakdown penalty to ease the pressure.
What a final 15 minutes we are in for, which will decide Southland's season.
59 min - COUNTIES MANUKAU PENALTY TO ROBERTSON - Counties produce a huge scrum to win a penalty 45 metres out from the Stags line. Robertson will have a shot at goal and he nails it. (CM 17-12).
53 min - TRY SOUTHLAND TO TONY LAMBORN - Southland produce another huge scrum and off the back Lamborn crashes over for a meat pie. Eade converts the try. (CM 14-12)
51 min - Southland are fighting hard with their season on the line. The Stags are back on attack inside the Steelers 22. After five phases, Counties give away a breakdown penalty and Southland choose to have a scrum.
47 min - TRY SOUTHLAND TO TEVITA LATU - Southland respond well and go straight back on attack and are just five metres out from the Counties line. Tevita Latu rolls his sleeves up at the breakdown and smashes his way over the line to get Southland back in it. Eade misses the conversion. (CM 14-5)
43 min - TRY COUNTIES MANUKAU TO CAMERON ROIGARD - Counties start the second half where they finished the first, inside the Stags 22. The Steelers set a lineout drive and get just five metres out from Southland's line. Roigard throws a dummy to fool the Southland defence to crash over. Robertson converts the try (CM 14-0)
Kickoff - Southland get us back underway for the second half.
Halftime - Only one try the difference between the two sides coming through Molia but it was contentious with his foot looking like it was in touch before he grounded the ball.
40 mins - From a lineout drive, the Stags produce a huge defensive play to hold the ball up over the line as the siren goes.
36 min - Yellow Card Southland to Charles Alaimalo - Counties win a breakdown penalty and halfback Cameron Roigard takes it quickly but Charles Alaimalo shoulder charges him to slow him down.
32 mins - TRY COUNTIES MANUKAU to Sione Molia - Donald Maka makes a strong run down to the Stags 22 after a nice short pass from Cameron Roigard. The Steelers get fast ball and go wide to Sione Molia who crashes over in the corner. Robertson converts the try. (CM 7-0)
30 min - Counties are building their attack inside the Stags 22 but more strong defence from the away side has caused a knock-on from Steelers prop Suetena Asomua. Southland will have a scrum inside their own 22.
26 min - Counties finally have possession again and are looking dangerous on attack, getting down to the Stags 22. A hospital pass has causes a head clash between Kirisi Kuridrani and Raymond Nu'u.
23 min - Southland are starting to set up camp inside the Counties 22. Rory Van Vugt breaks the Steelers defence with a strong run. Counties are forced to give away an offside penalty with the Stags hot on attack.
The away side will have a lineout just five metres out.
20 min - After a lineout drive that gets Southland just five metres out from the Steelers line, they start to build their attack through the forwards. After seven phases, Southland gives away a breakdown penalty to ease the pressure they were building.
18 min - Counties are hot on the attack inside the Stags 22. Lock Mike McKee intercepts and gets down to halfway before being pulled down. From the ruck, Southland win a breakdown penalty.
14 min - A very stop-start affair to start this contest with a bunch of errors so far. The Steelers have dominated territory but have got no reward so far.
Southland win a scrum penalty with a huge push. Eade will give the Stags a lineout on the Counties 22m line.
9 min - Southland are getting their first taste of possession but they don't go anywhere. After seven phases, the Steelers win a breakdown penalty.
5 min - From a five metre scrum, the Steelers go so close with lock Potu Leavasa being held up over the line by some scrambling Southland defence.
From the resulting scrum, the Stags produce a huge push to win a penalty and to ease the pressure.
2 min - The Steelers make a strong start with the ball in hand. They win a penalty just inside the Stags half and Robertson will go for touch.
Kickoff - The Steelers get us underway in Pukekohe
7:03pm - It is a beautiful day in Pukekohe for this final round championship clash. Southland need a win to keep them in contention to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They come into this contest not registering an away win in five years.
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Kia ora, folks and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this Mitre 10 Cup clash between Counties Manukau and Southland.
Updates will begin from 7:05pm.
Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe is the venue for tonight’s Championship clash between sixth-placed Stealers and fifth-placed Stags.
This will be the Steelers' final game of the season, after falling out of contention for the playoffs last week with a 32-5 loss to North Harbour.
Steelers coach Tai Lavea has dropped halfback Jonathan Taumateine to the bench, giving Cameron Roigard his first start of the season in their last game.
Lock Potu Leavasa is the only other change to the team that lost to Harbour last week, while prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth and flanker Sam Slade become the only two players to start all 10 matches this season.
Southland still have a chance of scraping into the Championship top four. If they pick up a win tonight and Northland lose, they will claim fourth place.
For this crucial encounter, the Stags have made just one change to their matchday side, with Amanaki Nicole returning from injury, replacing Kieran Lee on the right wing.
TAB: Counties Manukau $1.77, Southland $1.97
Counties Manukau: 1-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2-Donald Maka, 3-Suetena Asomua, 4-Matiaha Martin, 5-Potu Leavasa, 6-Sam Slade, 7-Alamanda Motuga, 8-Viliame Taulani, 9-Cameron Roigard, 10-Jason Robertson, 11-Sione Fifita, 12-Orbyn Leger (capt), 13-Sione Molia, 14-Kirisi Kuridrani, 15-Etene Nanai-Seturo
Reserves: 16-Zuriel Togiatama, 17-Clinton Malolua, 18-Conan O’Donnell, 19-Viliame Rarasea, 20-Dylan Leckner, 21-Jonathan Taumateine, 22-Luteru Laulala, 23-Kalione Hala.
Southland: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Greg Pleasants-Tate, 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 5-Mike McKee, 6-Charles Alaimalo, 7-Matt James, 8-Tony Lamborn (c), 9-Logan Crowley, 10-Scott Eade, 11-Tevita Latu, 12-Raymond Nu'u, 13-Isaac Te Tamaki, 14-Amanaki Nicole, 15-Rory Van Vugt
Reserves: 16-Telemaitoga Tuapati, 17-Joseph Walsh, 18-Chris Apoua, 19-Raymond Tatafu, 20-Jacob Coghlan, 21-Liam Howley, 22-Greg Dyer, 23-Jaye Thompson
