Highlanders Across the Provinces: NPC Preview Semifinals

Four teams remain in the race for the 2026 NPC title, with a place in the final on the line this week. Otago will travel north to face Northland, while Taranaki will head south to take on reigning champions Canterbury. For Highlanders fans, both matches offer plenty to follow. 

Quarter Final Results 

Quarter Final Wrap: 

On Friday, Northland and Tasman met in the first knockout game in a first-versus-eighth clash.  Tasman got off to a hot start, pushing out to an early 14-0 lead, through Kyren Taumoefolau, who crossed for his 19th try of the season. Before halftime, Northland came back to make the score 14-12, sparked by Highlander Reesjan Pasitoa, who stabbed a kick behind the Tasman line for Jordan Trainer to pick up and score.

The Taniwha carried the momentum into the second half, adding two more tries. In the final minutes, the Mako crossed the line to cut the deficit to 5 points. The Taniwha, however, held on to secure their spot in an NPC semifinal.  

Saturday’s quarter-final kicked off with North Harbour hosting Taranaki. Harbour got off to a flying start, scoring in the opening minute. Highlander Meihana Grindlay was yellow-carded later in the first half, which helped North Harbour cross over for another try. The Bulls, however, turned it around before half-time, scoring three tries to take a 17-14 lead.

The rolling maul was working overtime for the Bulls, helping Bradley Slater complete a hat-trick in the second half.  Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens helped with Taranaki’s second-half onslaught, crossing over for a try of his own in the 57th minute. Harbour rallied late in the game, reducing the margin, but the Bulls had already secured the game to win 50-31. 

Otago dominated Hawke’s Bay at home to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Otago forward pack was immaculate, dominating set piece and the upfront ball throughout the match. Otago went out to a 14-0 first-half lead, but Folau Fakatava hit back with a try to make it 14-7. Saula Ma’u crossed over before half-time to make it 21-7. Former Highlander Cam Millar added 3 points on the 40th minute to extend the lead to 24-7 in his 50th appearance for Otago.

In the second half, Folau looked set to get a double before Joesva Tamani was yellow-carded for playing the ball on the ground, preventing Folau from grounding it and resulting in a penalty try. That was the last time the Magpies scored in the match as Otago took control, scoring 3 more tries to finish the game at 50-14, one of the tries was through Highlanders Hooker Henry Bell.  

The final quarter Final saw Canterbury take on Waikato at home. A dominant first half helped set up Canterbury’s victory. They scored 10 tries, including the round's second hat-trick from hooker Brodie McAlister, taking Canterbury to a 43-7 halftime lead. 

Waikato bounced back in the second half, scoring two quick tries to cut the deficit to 43-21. Canterbury then took control again to finish strongly, putting 60 points on Waikato. The first-half blitz ultimately decided the match as Waikato competed strongly in the second half, but the damage was already done. Canterbury will now advance into the semifinals.  

Semi-Final Fixtures 

Semi-Final Preview

Otago head to Whangārei to face Northland with serious momentum after a convincing quarter-final win. Northland, the higher qualifiers, will host the semifinal in front of the Taniwha faithful, who were vibrant in the quarter-final.  This match-up could easily go either way; both teams remain mostly unaffected by the All Blacks, with only Fabian Holland absent for Otago and Simon Parker unavailable for Northland. Both players have only played a handful of minutes for their respective teams, so there is no dramatic change. 

Last year's finalists will be looking to book their spot once again, while the Taniwha are desperate to make their first top tier finals appearance in NPC history. Both teams are at the peak of their form, in what will be an entertaining match of rugby.  

Canterbury will play again at home this Sunday, this time against Taranaki. The Bulls may statistically have the underdog title coming into this match-up, being away from home and qualifying 5th compared to the top qualifiers and reigning champions Canterbury. 

Taranaki, however, have an impressive squad that has only played to expectations at the back end of their season. They will bring some serious momentum to Christchurch after putting 50 points on North Harbour who were also the higher qualifiers compared to Taranaki. Their heavily influenced backline has been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks, propelling them to this point in the competition. Expect Canterbury to be well and truly up for the challenge Taranaki will bring.  

Players to Watch: 

With a place in the NPC final on the line, these Highlanders will be worth watching. 

Reesjan Pasitoa - Northland 

The only Highlander in the Northland squad, Pasitoa will be one to watch as the Taniwha prepare to host Otago. His ability to carry strongly and offer another playmaking option from midfield could prove valuable against the visitors. With a place in the final on the line, his decisions around when to take on the defense and when to move the ball will be key 

Will Stodart – Otago  

A word to describe Stodart in recent seasons is consistency. Having played every game this season for the Golden O, most of these appearances have been 80-minute efforts. Despite leaving the highlights for his teammates, Will is vital at set piece and a real reason the Otago forward pack has been so dominant. He is a key lineout jumper and a workhorse in general play, providing the platform that has allowed Otago to dominate this season. 

Jona Nareki – Otago 

It is hard to look past Jona Nareki as a player to watch each week. A top 10 NPC try scorer and one of the best defensive backs in the competition, he has been an influential part of this Otago team's success in recent years. He also provides another clearing option at the back with his thumping left boot, which has proved handy time and time again. Jona is a leader within the Otago squad, and they will rely on his expertise to lead Otago into another NPC grand final. 

Adam Lennox - Taranaki 

After starting at halfback in Taranaki’s quarter-final win over North Harbour, Lennox faces another big challenge against Canterbury. His service and decisions at the base of the ruck will be central to how Taranaki build their attack. Watch for when he lifts the tempo and uses his running game to add uncertainty around the ruck. Lennox has also been used on the wing for Taranaki – a nod to his ability to create space anywhere on the field.