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PREVIEW: Tasman Mako seek to stop the rot and Auckland tipped to bounce back as NPC enters round 4

Darry Worthington previews this weekend’s choice NPC fixtures as Tasman host Canterbury in a South Island derby while up north, Otago travel to Auckland.

Canterbury V Taranaki - NPC
Image Copyright - Steve Haag Sports

Darry Worthington previews this weekend’s choice NPC fixtures as Tasman host Canterbury in a South Island derby while up north, Otago travel to Auckland.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

Friday 26 August

Tasman 26/10 | Draw 22/1 | Canterbury 31/100

We kick things off with Canterbury and Tasman opening up the Round 4 proceedings in a south island derby this Friday.

The hosts have endured a rather slow start to their campaign winning only one of the three games they have played thus far. Their victory came in Round 1 where they huffed and puffed their way to a 27-20 win over minnows Southland. They have suffered two successive defeats since that win going down 25-19 to Otago in Round 2 and then 35-27 to North Harbour this past weekend.

Canterbury have enjoyed a more positive start to their campaign winning two of their three fixtures. Like their opponents for Friday, they started their campaign with a win hammering Manawatu 15-62. They impressed again the following week beating a star-studded Wellington outfit 43-10. They looked nailed on for a victory in Round 3 as they took on a struggling Taranaki side, but were ultimately beaten 16-10 in horrific weather conditions.

Verdict: Tasman 26/10

The Mako usually get themselves up for games against their South Island rivals and I can see them doing that just here. I reckon the hosts stop the rot and end their two-week losing run with a win over their arch-rivals.

Saturday 27 August

Auckland 27/100 | Draw 23/1 | Otago 29/10

From South Island to North Island we head with our next fixtures seeing Auckland play host to Otago at Eden Park.

The hosts for Saturday’s encounter have enjoyed a fast start to their campaign winning three of the four games they have played. Their hot streak, which featured wins over North Harbour (36-26), Manawatu (18-45) and Southland (23-24), came to an abrupt end this past weekend as they went down 17-21 to Bay of Plenty, who took full advantage of Auckland’s poor discipline to overturn a ten-point deficit and run out 17-21 victors.

Otago have an identical win/loss record to their opponents for Saturday, bouncing back from a 23-22 opening day defeat to Counties Manukau with wins over Tasman (25-19), Hawke’s Bay (18-13) and Southland (32-37).

Verdict: Auckland 27/100

I reckon last weekend’s defeat was a rare slip-up for this super talented Auckland team who should beat Otago here.

Predictions: 

Waikato Win v Manawatu @ 1/100
Hawke’s Bay Win v North Harbour @31/100
Bay of Plenty Win v Counties @ 26/100
Wellinton Win v Taranaki @ 9/20
Southland Win v Northland @ 19/10

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