Mitre 10 Cup Saturday results:
Wellington 31 Manawatu 5
Northland 28 Waikato 17
Tasman 26 Otago 20
Fulltime - Tasman have wrapped up a home semi-final with a 26-20 victory over Otago under the roof in Dunedin.
Otago had a chance to win it at the death but two costly errors really cost them, first from Ioane not finding touch from the penalty and then a knock on at the lineout maul.
Tasman were deserved winners playing the better rugby with ball in hand and were clinical when it mattered. The home side did incredibly well to cut the lead to 6 with a late try to Kayne Hammington, especially after playing poorly in the first 30 minutes of the second half but it was too little to late.
The first half was the pick of the halves, with two stunning tries through Mark Telea and Freedom Vahaakolo but it was a late Mitch Hunt penalty goal that put Tasman in front at the break.
Both sides traded multiple penalty goals in the second half before Quinten Strange put the result beyond doubt after a great team try.
The result means both sides will have a home semi-final next week.
80 mins - Again Tasman try to keep it tight and close out the game but again give away a breakdown penalty. Otago have a lineout just five metres out. From the lineout, the home side knock it on and that will be fulltime.
79 mins - Tasman are trying to close out the game by keeping it tight with the forwards but they give away a breakdown penalty. Ioane misses touch. How crucial will that be.
76 mins- TRY OTAGO to Hammington - Otago's pressure has paid off. More dangerous attack from the home side has seen Nareki make a strong run through the Otago's defence and to score under the posts but before he puts it down he gives it to Hammington to score. Ioane converts the try. (26-20)
72 mins - Otago are looking dangerous again with Nel making an impact since he comes on. After eight phases the home side turn the ball over and Tasman clear through Havili
67 mins - Dylan Nel makes a break off the back of a lineout maul and Otago are just five metres out. After 13 phases with the home side looking dangerous, Hugh Renton wins a crucial breakdown penalty to ease the pressure.
62 mins - Otago are chasing the game and Jona Nareki makes a break but knocks the ball on when tackled but the referee hs gone back for a penalty. Otago will have a lineout 15 metres out.
58 mins - TRY TASMAN to Quinten Strange - After 11 phases, Quinten Strange thinks he has crashed over but referee James Munro will go upstairs to have a look. It has been awarded and the Markos get the first try of the second half. Hutn converts the try. (TAS 26-13)
56 mins - Tasman are looking dangerous on attack with Fainga'anuku making a strong run down to the Otago 22.
51 mins - PENALTY GOAL TASMAN to Mitch Hunt - Tasman absolutely dominate the scrum and win a penalty right in front. Mitch Hunt will have a shot, which he nails. (TAS 19-13)
46 mins - PENALTY GOAL OTAGO to Josh Ioane - Otago have responded well and are attacking well inside the Tasman half. Some great short pass from No. 8 Nasi Manu has the home side looking dangerous. At the breakdown, Otago wins a penalty and Ioane will have a shot at goal, which he nails. (TAS 16-13)
42 mins - PENALTY GOAL TASMAN to Mitch Hunt - Tasman starts the second half strongly. From the kickoff, Otago knock the ball on into an offside player giving Tasman a penalty. Mitch Hunt will step up and nail it. (TAS 16-10)
Kickoff - Tasam get us back underway.
Halftime - Tasman have been the better side in the first half dominating possession and looking dangerous in attack. Errors have cost them at critical moments that has stopped the Markos from going on and extending their lead. A late Mitch Hunt penalty goal has given the away side a three point lead at the break.
40 mins - PENALTY GOAL TASMAN to Mitch Hunt - Tasman are finishing the first half strongly with punishing runs but Otago's defence is holding firm. At the breakdown just 40m out from the home sides line, the Markos win a breakdown penalty. Hunt will have a shot at goal, which he nails. (TAS 13-10)
35 mins - Tasman are looking dangerous on attack with strong runs from Paea and Fainga'anuku. The Markos put a grubber in behind and Ioane knocks it on when trying to clean it up. Tasman will have a scrum just five metres out.
30 mins - A scrappy period of play with both sides trading kicks backwards and forwards. Tasman win a breakdown penalty through Sione Havili and will have a lineout just short of the home sides 22.
25 mins - PENALTY GOAL OTAGO to Josh Ioane - Otago have responded well from the Tasman try and have set up camp inside the Markos half. The home side set a lineout drive on the Tasman 22 and the Markos collapse it to give away the penalty. Ioane will have a shot at goal which he nails (10-10)
20 mins - TRY TASMAN to Tim O'Malley - A great team try for Tasman after a long build up around the halfway line. The Markos go wide and find Telea who breaks into the backfield before offloading to O'Malley who uses his pace to crash over. Hunt converts the try (TAS 10-7)
16 mins - The attack comes to nothing and Otago win a breakdown penalty to ease the pressure Tasman was putting on them.
14 mins - Tasman have responded well to the Otago try. They have set up camp in the home sides half. The Markos produce a huge scrum and win a penalty.
Tasman will have a lineout just five metres out.
10 mins - TRY OTAGO to Freedom Vahaakolo - Otago doesn't waste long to strike straight back. The home side goes wide straight away off the back of the lineout and finds Vahaakolo.
He uses his pace to beat the Tasman defence and score in the corner. Ioane converts the try from out wide. (OTG 7-3)
7 mins - PENALTY GOAL TASMAN to Mitch Hunt - Tasman are attacking inside the Otago half. After six phases, the home side gives away a breakdown penalty. Mitch Hunt will have a shot at goal, which he nails. (TAS 3-0)
4 mins - A scrappy start to this contest with both sides struggling to keep the ball in hand.
Kickoff - Otago get us underway.
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4:33pm - Welcome to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. We obviously have perfect conditions under the roof, so hopefully we are in for some attacking rugby.
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Fulltime - It is fulltime in both games with Wellington and Northland coming away winners.
Wellington put on a brilliant second half performance and grabbed a crucial bonus point to come away 31-5 winners. The Lions scored four unanswered tries through Smith, Aso, Ben Nicholas and Patafilo to complete an emphatic second half performance.
The wins means Wellington move up to fourth place and sealed a spot in the Premiership next season. The Lions will sit back and wait on other results to see if they make the playoffs.
In Kaikohe, Northland have come away 28-17 winners. After a very entertaining first half where Waikato took a 17-14 lead into the break.
Northland kept the Mooloos scoreless in the second half and scored two tries of their own through Olsen and Gregory to wrap up the win.
The Taniwha move up to third in the Championship but wait to see if Taranaki will overtake them back into third but they will prepare for playoff rugby next week.
Join us at 4:35pm for live updates of Otago v Tasman.
80 mins - TRY WELLINGTON to Sam Smith - Wellington finish this contest on fire. They produce some razzle-dazzle rugby and ends up with Sam Smith who crashes over under the posts. Proctor converts the try. (WEL 31-5)
76 mins - YELLOW CARD WELLINGTON to Pepesana Patafilo - Manawatu are hot on attack and Patafilo goes for an intercept but can't grab it. The referee has ruled he had no realistic opportunity to catch the ball and sent him to the bin.
67 mins - TRY WELLINGTON to Vince Aso - A poor pass from Cruden only finds Patafilo who breaks into the Turbos 22. He delivers a miracle offload over his head to Savea before he gives it to Aso to score in the corner. Garden-Bachop can't convert the try. (WEL 24-5)
63 mins - TRY NORTHLAND to Scott Gregory & WAIKATO YELLOW CARD - Northland have extended their lead. Great footwork from Gregory has put him through the Waikato defence before beating the fullback to go over in the corner. Cooper converts the try. (NOR 28-17)
The referee has gone upstairs and seen a tackle off the ball and sent Quinn Tupaea to the bin.
61 mins - TRY WELLINGTON to Teariki Ben-Nicholas - A great team try to the Lions. After a long build of relentless attack over 10 phases, Wellington find space out wide as Proctor draws and passes and sends Ben-Nicholas over in the corner. Garden-Bachop can't convert the try. (WEL 19-5)
57 mins - YELLOW CARD MANAWATU to Drew Wilde - Garden-Bachop breaks through the Turbo's defence and he tries to draw and pass the final defender but Wild knocks the pass down and the referee has sent him to the bin.
50 mins - TRY NORTHLAND to Jordan Olsen - NNorthland get the frist try of the second half. After a long build up on attack, Cooper puts a crossfield kick into the in-goal area and the hooker Olsen who is ranging wide grabs it to crash over. Cooper converts the try. (NOR 21-17)
43 mins - TRY WELLINGTON to Pepesana Patafilo - The Lions have started the second half on fire. Proctor breaks through the Turbos defence before a nice inside pass to Patafilo who goes over under the posts. Garden-Bachop converts the try. (WEL 14-5)
Kickoff - We are back underway in both games. Wellington have 40 minutes to try keep their playoff hopes alive and avoid relegation.
Halftime - It is halftime time in both games with Wellington and Waikato taking the lead into the sheds. It is a real arm wrestle in the capital with both sides scoring a try apiece in the first half as well as having a try apiece ruled out so we are in for an exciting second half.
A much more entertaining game in Kaikohe with Waikato taking a three point led into the break. A late intercept try to Te Whare has put Waikato has given the Mooloos a deserved lead.
32 mins - TRY WAIKATO to Valynce Te Whare - Waikato have hit back to put themselves in front. Northland were attacking just inside their own half but a poor pass is intercepted by Burr.
He won't have the speed, but Crosby-Te Whare has linked up and he sprints the remaining 50m all the way down to the try line, completely against the run of play. Waaka converts the try (WAI 17-14)
30 mins - TRY WELLINGTON to Xavier Numia - Wellington waste no time to strike back. A great build up from the Lions has them hot on attack inside the Turbos 22. A great short pass from Fifita to Numia who goes over untouched. Garden-Bachop converts the try. (WEL 7-5)
27 min - TRY NORTHLAND to Luatangi Li - Northland produce a perfect lineout drive and Li crashes over to put Northland back in front. Cooper converts the try. (NOR 14-10)
26 mins - TRY MANAWATU to Maraku - Manawatū have made a great start to this contest. After having a try ruled out the Turbo's make the Lions pay this time. From the lineout, a great short pass from Wyness has put Tufuga in a hole. He breaks into the backfield before passing to Maraku to crash over. Wyness cannot convert the try. (MAN 5-0)
16 mins - PENALTY WAIKATO TO Waaka - Waikato respond well from Northland's opening try. The Taniwha under immediate pressure at the breakdown from the kick off. Waikato penalty right in front with a chance to hit back! Waaka slots over the penalty goal from 40m out. (WAI 10-7)
13 mins - TRY NORTHLAND to Sam Nock - Waikato have had over 90 percent of all the territory but it's Northland that strikes back. On the counter attack, Wright breaks into the Mooloos half before drawing and passing to put Sam Nock over under the posts. Cooper converts the try (7-7)
2 mins - TRY WAIKATO to Luke Jacobson - Waikato make a hot start to this contest. Samisoni Taukei’aho breaks into the Northland 22. The Mooloo's get fast ball and Luke Jacobson crashes over under the posts. Beauden Waaka converts the try (WAI 7-0)
Kickoff - Wellington and Waikato get us underway.
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2:03pm - Welcome to our live updates of our two games, kicking off at 2:05pm. It's a beautiful day in both Wellington and Kaikohe let us hope for some attacking rugby.
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Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of Saturday's three Mitre 10 Cup games from week 10 of the competition.
There is plenty on the line for all six teams in action today, as wins could secure home semi-finals or avoid relegation to the Championship.
With the All Blacks facing Argentina at 7pm, two games will be played at 2:05pm, with one more at 4:35pm.
First up sees Northland face Premiership side Waikato from Kaikohe, the first time a provincial match will be played at Lindvart Park.
The Taniwha are already guaranteed a spot in the championship semi-finals, but a win could see them finish third ahead of Taranaki. For Waikato, a win could guarantee themselves a home semi-final in the Premiership but they will need results to go their way.
At the same time, Wellington hosts Manawatū.
A bonus-point win for the Lions could see them sneak into the Premiership semis, but a loss could see them destined for the Championship next year. Manawatū need a bonus point greater than 30 points to avoid last place in the Championship.
At 4:35pm, Otago squares off against Tasman.
Otago are guaranteed a home semi-final, but a win could see them finish top of the Championship, should Hawke's Bay lose on Sunday. For Tasman, they just need two points to guarantee themselves a spot in the Premiership semis, but they could miss out altogether with a loss.
For full team lists, click here
TAB head-to-head
Northland $3.15 Waikato $1.33
Wellington $1.01 Manawatu $12.00
Otago $3.30 Tasman $1.29
Championship top four locked in after Southland lose to Counties Manukau
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 too little too 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.
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Argentina Tri Nations test
