Darry Worthington runs the rule over the Saturday and Sunday fixtures, below.
Saturday 16 September
Auckland 26/100 | Draw 25/1 | Waikato 3/1
Auckland will be looking to strengthen their home semi-final credentials when they take on a Waikato side that currently reside in tenth and are all but out of the running for a semi-final. The hosts for Saturday’s opener currently sit in second-spot and are five pints between leaders Wellington.
The hosts come into this one in some solid form having won their last two games with their most recent victory being last Sunday’s impressive 36-29 victory over rivals Canterbury. The victory came late in the piece with a 78th-minute converted try seeing them to the win.
Conversely, Waikato have struggled over the past fortnight going down 39-17 to North Harbour and then 24-41 to Wellington this past weekend.
I can’t see anything but a big victory for the hosts with the visitors conceding loads of points in recent weeks.
Verdict: Auckland
North Harbour 19/100 | Draw 28/1 | Northland 39/10
We remain in Auckland for our next fixture which will see ninth-placed North Harbour take on 12th-placed Northland. Both sides have not got much to play for here with the hosts pretty much out of the running, bar mathematically, for the semi-finals while Northland are unlikely to pick up the wooden spoon.
The men from Auckland have enjoyed a solid couple weeks in the ‘comp winning their last three fixtures which were wins over Waikato (39-17), Otago (27-24) and Manawatu (29-48).
Northland have also been decent recently, if inconsistent, beating Tasman 32-5 before going down 31-30 to Manawatu and then bouncing back with an impressive 44-21 victory over Hawke’s Bay.
While I can see the hosts claiming the win here, I think it will only act as keeping them in the mathematical hunt for a semi. They are currently eight points adrift of fourth but they have some big name teams ahead of them.
Verdict: North Harbour
Otago 18/10 | Draw 20/1 | Taranaki 46/100
Saturday’s final fixture will see Otago take on Tasman. The hosts are not having the best of times of it this term having lost five of their seven fixtures. They currently languish in 11th on the ladder and are out of the running for a semi-final berth. Conversely, Taranaki are in fifth and are only a point adrift of fourth-placed Tasman but they need to arrest a poor run of form if they are to remain in the hunt for the play-offs.
The visitors head into this one having lost their last three fixtures. And while the defeats came against big guns Canterbury (29-28), Tasman (18-29) and an inform Bay of Plenty outfit and an in-form Bay of Plenty side (29-28), their form is simply not good enough to make a semi at this point.
Otago do offer Taranaki a great chance to turn things around, however. The hosts for Saturday have lost the vast majority of their games this term. And while they did beat Northland 30-15 in their last fixture, it must be noted that Northland have also struggled this term.
I’m backing the Bulls to turn things around here and claim a much-needed win.
Verdict: Taranaki
Sunday 17 September
Bay of Plenty 23/10 | Draw 22/1 | Wellington 7/20
It’s a big one next up with log-leaders Wellington taking on sixth-placed Bay of Plenty. The hosts are still in with a solid shout of grabbing a semi-final berth as they sit five points off fourth-placed Tasman but have a game in hand. Taking no points from Sunday’s fixture would put a massive dent in their play-off hopes, however.
Bay of Plenty have enjoyed a solid run of form winning their past three games with their most recent victory being last weekend’s nail-biting 38-35 win over Hawke’s Bay. While Bay’s form is impressive, it’s nothing compared to Wellington’s with the Lions the only undefeated team in the tournament. They head into this one off the back of a 24-41 win over Waikato.
While I think Bay will give them a real run, I also think Wellington will extend their unbeaten record here.
Verdict: Wellington
Canterbury | Draw | Southland
The penultimate game of the weekend pits two sides who have experienced vastly different campaigns up against each other as third-placed Canterbury take on cellar-dwellers Southland.
The visitors are yet to win a fixture this term and head into Sunday’s clash off the back of a 39-29 loss to Counties Manukau. While they have played some decent rugby at times, they’ve been unable to put in an 80-minute performance.
This fixture has come at just the right time for Canterbury as they have lost two games in the past seven days going down by seven points to Auckland this past weekend and then losing in the final minute against Counties Manukau, wth a clutch touch-line conversion sinking the,
The Canterbury coaching staff will not be pleased with the past week and the squad will have got the hairdryer treatment. My money’s on Canterbury responding big time here and winning this one by more than 35 points.
Verdict: Canterbury
Tasman 21/100 | Draw 28/1 | Counties Manaukau 36/10
The final fixture for the weekend sees fourth-placed Tasman take on a bang in-form Counties Manukau side. The hosts are currently on a three game winning streak beating Northland 20-15, Manawatu 58- 19 and then Taranki 18-29 this past weekend.
Counties have also been in solid form of late with this weekend’s visitors registering wins over Southland (39-29) and then Canterbury (31-29). The Canterbury win was a massive one for them as they secured it right at the death with a converted try.
Counties have been solid on home soil but have struggled on the road. With that in mind, I can see Tasman taking the spoils here.
Verdict: Tasman
