Highlanders Across the Provinces: NPC Preview Round 8

Round 7 Wrap:  

The latest round of the NPC was a good one for Highlanders fans. There were a handful of returns, and with Otago and Southland both in the winner’s circle, there was plenty to smile about. The competition is beginning to ramp up as the playoffs approach. 

A 90-point battle went down on Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium between Otago and Tasman. This match saw the return of two of the Highlanders' most exciting players. Shannon Frizel wore the 8 jersey for the Mako and looked promising throughout the match. He got through a significant amount of work during his time on the field.  

Finn Hurley played a significant role in Otago’s 57-33 win in his return. The electric outside back reminded everyone why he is one of the Highlanders' most exciting young talents. Coming off the bench, Finn looked more than comfortable at NPC level with a try and some important touches during his time on the field. It was a fitting return for what has been a frustrating start to Hurley’s career, which has been interrupted by a number of injuries.  

Otago crossed over the try line eight times and looked a step ahead of Tasman for the majority of the match. Highlanders squad members Jake Te Hiwi, Josh Whaanga, Jonah Nareki and Lucas Casey were among the try scorers. Casey has now scored nine tries in this season. 

Another headline game was the Southland Stags who took on the Bay of Plenty Steamers on Sunday evening. The fans at Rugby Park were treated to a clinical display from the Stags as they ran riot with some electric tries. The young guns of the Stags were the stars of the show. Mika Muliaina and Jimmy Taylor look like they could be a dangerous combination for the Stags for many years to come. The youth of Southland were too strong in the end for Nikora Broughton and his Steamers as Southland ran away with the game in the second half to win 43-12.  

Folau Fakatava and the Magpies suffered their first loss of their NPC campaign against North Harbour on Sunday afternoon. Folau did everything in his power to try keep the Hawke’s Bay winning streak alive with some skillful passing and try of his own, but North Harbour came storming back in the second half to clinch the game.  

The first match of the round was a thriller with Te Kamaka Howden’s Manawatū Turbos stealing the game against Taranaki in its final stages with a penalty kick. This marked Manuwatū’s first win over Taranaki in 13 years.  

Auckland took on Counties Manukau at home in another high-scoring match. The end score was 43-33 to Auckland. This match saw the return of Highlanders winger Xavier Tito-Harris, who had some nice touches on the edge and grabbed a try of his own. This was another close match as the scores were tied with just 5 minutes to play until Auckland dotted down in the corner to seal the match.  

Northland had their second defence of the Ranfurly Shield as they took on Waikato at home. This match saw the return of Highlanders outside back Reesjan Pasitoa. The Taniwha will hold onto the Shield for another defence as they convincingly beat the Mooloo's 34-17.  

The last match to wrap up was the Canterbury vs Wellington match in what was Daniel Lienert-Brown’s 100th match for his Province (Canterbury). The match was a fitting statement for DLB’s 100th as Canterbury pumped the Lions 66-19. Wellington had an exciting return in the form of Stanley Solomon, who had a solid outing in the 15 jersey.  

Round 7 Results 

• Manawatū 27–25 Taranaki  

• Otago 57–33 Tasman  

• Auckland 43–33 Counties Manukau  

• Northland 34–17 Waikato  

• Canterbury 66–19 Wellington  

• Hawke’s Bay 24–31 North Harbour  

• Southland 43–12 Bay of Plenty 

Looking ahead to Round 8: 

Opening Round 8 of the NPC is Counties Manukau v Otago on Thursday night. Otago will be feeling confident heading north with a solid win against Tasman and facing a side that is sitting second from the bottom. 

On Friday night, Tasman will play Auckland at home in what could be a tight battle. Tasman will be looking to bounce back from their loss, and Auckland will be looking to ride the momentum of their latest win against Counties. 

Saturday sees three match-ups, the first being Bay of Plenty vs Hawke’s Bay, both teams coming off unexpected losses in round 7. Bay of Plenty will be especially amped up to get a win over Hawke’s Bay as they fight to stay in playoff contention as they sit at 10th on the table currently.  

Te Kamaka Howden’s Turbos take on Waikato away from home, with Manawatū sitting at 7th and Waikato at 8th on the table. Both teams are on the edge of the playoff cut-off, which adds to the stakes of this match.  

The Saturday night game is Wellington vs Northland. This fixture features two Highlanders who have just recently returned to play, Reesjan Pasitoa for Northland and Stanley Solomon for Wellington. It will be exciting for Highlanders fans to see these two utility backs go head-to-head. The current Shield holders will come in fairly confident against bottom-of-the-table Wellington, but the NPC has shown so far that any team can win on their day.  

Canterbury will head north on Sunday to take on North Harbour. Both teams are performing reasonably well so far, as Canterbury sits in 5th and North Harbour in 2nd. Expect a tight contest between these two at North Harbour Stadium.  

The final match of the Round is in Taranaki as the Stags look to keep the momentum rolling after their massive win against Bay of Plenty. Both Taranaki and Southland are looking to keep their playoff hopes alive as they both sit outside of the playoff cut-off.  

Round 8 Fixtures 

Thursday 17 September 

• Counties Manukau v Otago — 7:10pm, Navigation Homes Stadium 

Friday 18 September 

• Tasman v Auckland — 7:10pm, Lansdowne Park 

Saturday 19 September 

• Bay of Plenty v Hawke’s Bay — 2:05pm, Tauranga Domain 
• Waikato v Manawatū — 5:05pm, FMG Stadium Waikato 
• Wellington v Northland — 7:10pm, Sky Stadium 

Sunday 20 September 

• North Harbour v Canterbury — 2:05pm, North Harbour Stadium 
• Taranaki v Southland — 5:05pm, Stadium Taranaki 

Players to Watch:  

Finn Hurley – Otago 

Finn made his return to rugby off the bench against Tasman. Despite limited minutes, he made a big impact, showing why he is regarded as one of Super Rugby’s most exciting young prospects.  

Hurley has been named to start for Otago against Counties on Thursday night, which will be a great opportunity to build form as the competition moves closer to the business end of the season.  

Finn has a knack for sparking creative tries from anywhere on the field, which will give Otago confidence in shifting the ball quickly around the park to give Hurley opportunities.  

Xavier Tito Harris – Auckland 

The dynamic Auckland wing also made his return last week and scored a try to help Auckland on their way to beat Counties Manukau. Xavier, who has represented New Zealand Sevens, is another electric outside back.  

The one-cap Highlander is set to line up against Tasman on Friday night. His pace could be problematic for the Mako if they give him space. It is worth keeping an eye on Xavier as he consistently looks to challenge the defensive line whenever he gets the ball. 

Mika Muliana – Southland  

Once again, Mika makes the list. He was vital for Southland as they put a clinic on Bay of Plenty. In just his second season with the Stags at just 19 years of age, he is growing comfortable with performing at this level.  

A well-rounded player, the fact that he has been given the Stags 10 jersey only emphasises the talent he possesses.  Against Bay of Plenty, he showed elite-level decision-making and a flash of his running game with his runaway try.  

As Southland takes on Taranaki, expect Mika to command the Stags as they try to make a late playoff push.