Bunnings NPC: Round 7 - Canterbury survive Tasman scare as Counties Manukau hammer Southland

Behind them, Otago edged Taranaki to consolidate second place, while Hawke’s Bay climbed to third after a dramatic golden point victory over Bay of Plenty. Northland impressed at home to Wellington, while Waikato left it late to pip North Harbour by a point. Auckland, meanwhile, finally found their rhythm in a high-scoring win over Manawatū, and Counties Manukau exploded to post the highest score of the season so far against a struggling Southland side.

Northland set the tone early, their lineout maul producing the platform for hooker Matt Moulds to score within four minutes. Wellington responded sharply, fullback Callum Harkin sparking a move that ended with Dominic Ropeti sliding over from close range. But the Taniwha found momentum as prop Chris Apoua’s burst led to Jake Heenan crossing, before fullback Jordan Trainor cut back against the grain to extend the lead. A penalty try for Wellington, following Terrell Peita’s infringement and yellow card, kept them in touch at halftime with Northland ahead 22–14.

The hosts reasserted themselves after the break as Peita made amends with a quick tap try, only for Eso Komaisavai to snipe over for the visitors. Another Peita effort, however, restored control before Losi Filipo’s finish reignited Wellington’s hopes. Ultimately, it was Northland who finished strongest, with Nathan Salmon pouncing on a dropped ball to secure the bonus-point win.

NORTHLAND: 43
TRIES: 6 (Moulds, Heenan, Trainor, Peita 2, Salmon)
CONVERSIONS: 5 (Reihana)
PENALTIES: 1 (Reihana)

WELLINGTON: 26
TRIES: 3 (Ropeti, Komaisavai, Filipo)
PENALTY TRY: 1
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Garden-Bachop)

HT: 22–14

Waikato edged a thrilling one-point contest after a dramatic finale in Hamilton. Josh Moorby struck first inside 90 seconds, capitalising on sloppy Harbour handling to run in from 35 metres. Mark Telea’s break sparked a flowing Harbour attack finished by Jed Melvin, but Waikato answered back when Gideon Wrampling’s line burst created space for Dan Sinkinson to finish. Cam Howell’s 70-metre intercept try swung momentum Harbour’s way, though a late penalty from Lima Sopoaga gave the hosts a narrow 17–14 lead at halftime.

The second half began brightly for Harbour as lock Felix Kalapu powered over, before persistent infringements saw Waikato reduced to 14 and concede a penalty try. At 28–17 down, the Mooloos looked beaten, but Tepaea Cook-Savage darted from the base of a strong scrum to score. Then, with six minutes remaining, replacement prop Gabe Robinson found himself in the centres and powered through after a brilliant offload by No8 Senita Lauaki. The conversion proved decisive as Waikato held firm to snatch victory in front of a jubilant home crowd.

WAIKATO: 29
TRIES: 4 (Moorby, Sinkinson, Cook-Savage, Robinson)
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Sopoaga), 1 (Cook-Savage)
PENALTIES: 1 (Sopoaga)

NORTH HARBOUR: 28
TRIES: 3 (Melvin, Howell, Kalapu)
PENALTY TRY: 1
CONVERSIONS: 3 (Howell)

HT: 17–14

Hawke’s Bay snatched a golden point thriller thanks to Lincoln McClutchie’s ice-cool drop goal after more than 20 phases of extra-time pressure. Folau Fakatava opened the scoring early with a sharp tap-and-go try before Bay of Plenty hit back through Joe Johnston after Nikora Broughton’s strong carry. Tom Parsons restored the Magpies’ advantage with a close-range finish, but Richard Judd’s sniping try from a ruck ensured a 14–14 deadlock at halftime.

The second half saw Broughton spill a golden chance before Fakatava struck again, sneaking across from short range. Bay of Plenty drew level nine minutes from time when Kele Lasaqa’s blistering solo effort—bursting through two tacklers before sprinting 40 metres—set up a grandstand finish. With nothing between them at 21–21 after 80 minutes, golden point ensued. Hawke’s Bay held their composure through relentless pick-and-go phases, setting up McClutchie to slot the winning drop kick and silence the home crowd.

BAY OF PLENTY: 21
TRIES: 3 (Johnston, Judd, Lasaqa)
CONVERSIONS: 3 (Cashmore)

HAWKE’S BAY: 24
TRIES: 3 (Fakatava 2, Parsons)
CONVERSIONS: 3 (McClutchie)
DROP GOAL: 1 (McClutchie)

HT: 14–14

Otago clung on for a statement win in Dunedin, with Liam Coltman’s late try sealing a nail-biter. The hosts struck first after Dylan Pledger’s break set up Josh Timu for the opener. Taranaki replied quickly via Bradley Slater’s lineout drive, before Obey Samate finished wide following slick handling. Jona Nareki’s pace restored Otago’s lead heading into halftime.

After the break, Kaylum Boshier crossed following a turnover, and moments later Adam Lennox’s blistering counter led to Arese Poliko scoring. Cameron Millar wrestled back momentum with a solo try, showcasing his vision and strength. Then, with Taranaki clinging to a two-point lead, flanker Michael Loft’s offside infringement and yellow card gifted Otago one last chance. From the resulting lineout, Coltman drove over, Millar’s perfect kicking record ensuring the home side prevailed.

OTAGO: 28
TRIES: 4 (Timu, Nareki, Millar, Coltman)
CONVERSIONS: 4 (Millar)

TARANAKI: 26
TRIES: 4 (Slater, Samate, Boshier, Poliko)
CONVERSIONS: 3 (Jacomb)

HT: 14–12

Auckland produced their best performance of the season, running in eight tries to blow away Manawatū. The visitors began brightly, with Taniela Filimone scoring early and Ngani Laumape crossing later in the half as they built a 22–12 lead. But the key moment came when Xavier Tito-Harris pounced on a Laumape error, racing 95 metres to score. Xavi Taele added another intercept try, keeping Auckland within striking distance.

After the break, Tai Cribb powered over before Drew Wild and Mosese Bason extended Manawatū’s advantage to 29–19. From there, it was all Auckland. Caleb Tangitau twice finished sweeping moves, while Cohen Norrie, AJ Lam and Anton Segner all scored off the back of a dominant scrum. The comeback was capped by Taele’s accurate goal kicking as Auckland stormed home for a bonus-point win that lifts them off the bottom of the table.

AUCKLAND: 52
TRIES: 8 (Tito-Harris, Taele, Cribb, Tangitau 2, Norrie, Lam, Segner)
CONVERSIONS: 5 (Taele), 1 (Simpson)

MANAWATŪ: 29
TRIES: 5 (Filimone, Bason 2, Viljoen, Laumape)
CONVERSIONS: 2 (Wild)

HT: 12–22

The Ranfurly Shield was almost prised away as Canterbury had to dig deep against a fired-up Tasman. Mitch Drummond scored early after sharp interplay from Macca Springer and David Havili, before Louie Chapman hit back with a poacher’s try. Havili atoned for a mistake soon after, chasing down Springer’s kick to score, though Chapman’s creativity set up Chay Fihaki to hand Canterbury a 19–15 halftime lead.

Tasman kept pushing, Kyren Taumoefolau winning the race to a loose ball before Tomasi Maka bulldozed over for a surprise lead. But Canterbury’s experience showed late. Sam Darry powered across following interplay with Zach Gallagher and Jamie Hannah, before George Bell’s injury-time winner secured the Shield in dramatic fashion.

CANTERBURY: 31
TRIES: 5 (Chapman 2, Fihaki, Darry, Bell)
CONVERSIONS: 3 (White)

TASMAN: 25
TRIES: 4 (Drummond, Havili, Taumoefolau, Maka)
CONVERSIONS: 1 (Havili)
PENALTIES: 1 (Havili)

HT: 19–15

Counties Manukau unleashed an attacking masterclass to post 10 tries in a record-breaking demolition of Southland. Mitch Dunshea gave the home fans brief hope with an early score, but once Ioane Moananu and Etene Nanai-Seturo hit back, the floodgates opened. Scott Gregory capitalised on a rare error to pull one back, yet tries from Dalton Papali’i and Leo Ngatai-Tafau put Counties firmly in control by halftime at 26–10.

The second half was relentless. A penalty try was followed by Hoskins Sotutu powering over after slick interplay. Vainikolo Fifita and Cameron Church added to the tally before halfback Cohen Brady-Leathem and Sevens star Sione Molia finished off a rampant display. Southland were left shell-shocked, while Counties celebrated one of their finest performances in years.

SOUTHLAND: 10
TRIES: 2 (Dunshea, Gregory)

COUNTIES MANUKAU: 64
TRIES: 9 (Moananu, Nanai-Seturo, Papali’i, Ngatai-Tafau, Sotutu, Fifita, Church, Brady-Leathem, Molia)
PENALTY TRY: 1
CONVERSIONS: 6 (Alatimu 4, Popoali’i 2)

HT: 10–26