Highlanders Across The Provinces: NPC Preview Round 9

With just two rounds remaining in the 2026 Hilux NPC regular season, the race for the top eight is heating up.  

Round 8 delivered another strong weekend for several Highlanders across the provincial competition, headlined by Otago continuing their impressive season with a convincing win over Counties Manukau.  

Northland, Otago and Hawke's Bay now sit level on 32 competition points at the top of the standings, with Northland leading on points differential. North Harbour and Canterbury round out a congested top five, following closely behind in 4th and 5th. 

Round 8 Results:

Round 8 Wrap: 

Otago continued their impressive form in the opening match of the round on Thursday night, producing a dominant 50-21 win over Counties Manukau in Pukekohe. The result was their sixth victory from eight matches, putting them second on the table as they enter the final two rounds.  

Once again, the Otago team had a strong Highlanders influence, with superstars Lucas Casey and Jona Nareki both scoring, which has put them in conversations around try-related leaderboards. Jona has entered the top 10 in the All-time NPC try scorers. 

NPC All-Time Try Scorers

NPC Try Scoring Streaks (consecutive games with a try)

Lucas is tied for second-most consecutive games with a try in NPC history.  

Patrick Pellegrini impressed with the boot, making 5/7 conversions, and Saula Ma'u returned to NPC after his All Blacks debut in South Africa.  

It was a different story on Sunday for Southland, who traveled north to face a Taranaki side stacked with attacking talent. The Bulls ran away with the contest 55-19, in contrast to the stags' win against Bay of Plenty in Round 7.  

The match saw the return of newly contracted Highlanders and recent All Black Josh Jacomb, who made an immediate impact. Adam Lennox returned to the matchday 23 for Taranaki off the bench, and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens was impressive with some handy touches at the back.  

Friday's match was considerably tighter, with Auckland edging Tasman 24-22. Highlanders loose forward Shannon Frizell tried his best to help the Mako get over the line. At the same time, Xavier Tito-Harris contributed to Auckland's comeback, with his break into Tasman's 22 helping create the pressure that eventually produced Payton Spencer's decisive try. 

Bay of Plenty bounced back after their defeat against the Stags, beating Hawke's Bay 32-17 in Tauranga. The match brought together two Highlanders players who are frontrunners for the Duane Monkley Medal: Nikora Broughton and Folau Fakatava. The Steamers handed Hawke's Bay just their second loss of the season.  

Northland continued their impressive campaign with a convincing 52-28 win over Wellington in the capital. Highlanders outside back Stanley Solomon crossed for a late try for the Lions, but Northland had already built a strong advantage by then. The win kept Northland in the top 2 of the standings heading into round 9.  

Lastly, almost nothing separated North Harbour and Canterbury, with Canterbury holding on for a 25-24 victory. A 79th-minute try from North Harbour left just a one-point deficit; luckily for Canterbury, an attempted intercept was seen as legit, and the game ended with what was deemed a knock-on.  

Standings after Round 8: 

Looking Ahead to Round 9: 

Round 9 looks set to be one of the most important rounds for most teams sitting in and around the playoff cutoff.  

Those who sit comfortably in the top 4 will look to clinch home finals, while the rest will look to stay in playoff contention as the competition enters its penultimate round.  

A standout clash for Highlanders fans will be the battle between 3rd-placed Otago and 4th-placed North Harbour. A strong result for Otago will put them in a position to secure a home quarter-final. Otago look to have made it through the competition fairly unscathed, so they will throw everything they can at North Harbour to give themselves the best chance of a home playoff run.  

Northland will once again put the Ranfurly Shield up for grabs against Counties Manukau in Whangārei. The top-of-the-table Taniwhā will come in confident against a Steelers team that currently sits 13th. However, when the Ranfurly Shield is on the line, you can't count any team out, so this match-up will be one to watch. Highlanders' utility back Reesjan Pasitoa has returned to the starting line-up in recent weeks and has been instrumental in their recent success.  

A high-stakes clash between Tasman and Bay of Plenty will go down on Thursday night. With Tasman sitting 8th and Bay of Plenty 9th, this match will be vital for both teams to stay in the playoff picture. For Highlanders fans, a couple of recognizable names will go head-to-head in the loose forwards: Nikora Broughton and Veveni Lasaqa for the Steamers, and Shannon Frizell for the Mako.  

Hawke's Bay and Taranaki will close out the round in Napier on Sunday, with the Magpies now down two in a row after starting the competition with an impressive win streak. Taranaki, sitting in 7th, will desperately want to win this match to stay in the Top 8. Taranaki have started to find their feet in this competition, winning 3 of their last 4 matches, and the return of Highlanders Josh Jacomb and Adam Lennox has been a key contributor to this success.  

The Southland Stags will take on Canterbury in the new stadium as they look to bring some redemption to their season. Now out of playoff contention, Sean Withy and his Stags will look to give their loyal fan base something to be proud of. Canterbury, sitting 5th on the table, will look to grab another win to carry momentum into the playoffs.  

Auckland will host MaManawatūs both look to sneak into the playoffs, with Manawatū sitting 10th and Auckland 11th. Highlanders to watch in this match are Turbos captain Te Kamaka Howden and Auckland Winger Xavier Tito-Harris.  

Wellington have another home game as they continue the search for their elusive first win; they have now equaled their longest losing streak ever. They will take on the hard task of Waikato, who sit 6th on the table.  

Round 9 Fixtures:

Players to watch: 

The players to watch have been bolstered by several Highlanders-All Blacks returning to the NPC after their Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour in South Africa.  

Timoci Tavatavanawai – Tasman  

'Jimmy the difference' will be itching to get back on the field. After successful appearances for the All Blacks during their mid-week clashes, many have said he was unlucky to miss out on a jersey for the Test matches. Timoci will provide a major boost to the Tasman backline ahead of their clash with Bay of Plenty. His ability to beat defenders and suck defenses in could be particularly important for Tasman.   

Saula Ma’u - Otago  

The latest Highlanders All black has returned to provincial rugby with confidence. His massive frame adds unprecedented experience and power to the Otago forward pack. He will look to pressure the North Harbour scrum and dominate with the ball in hand.  

Josh Jacomb - Taranaki 

Jacomb is another returning All Black; the first five-eighth will be all-important as he leads the Taranaki forward pack while unleashing his own style of play, which can put anyone in space, including himself. Jacomb's talent is something for Highlanders fans to be excited about as he joins the team down south for 2027.