New Zealand Club Rugby round-up, 9 July

Knockout rugby is upon us in many regions around the country, with several playoff and semi-finals rounds all underway this weekend.

The first week of playoffs in North Harbour saw a thriller between Northcote and East Coast Bays, who were locked at 10-10 at fulltime before a golden point extra time score gave Northcote a 13-10 win. Massey beat Glenfield in the other major knockout fixture, meaning that top qualifier Takapuna will play Northcote and North Shore and Massey will meet in the two semi-finals on 16 July.

Melville qualified top for next weekend’s Waikato semi-finals and they will play fourth placed University, after University edged out Hautapu 22-20 in the last round. Hautapu will play Hamilton Old Boys in the other semi-final, while Otorohanga were the unlucky team to miss out.

There was also high drama in Otago club rugby, with Kaikorai beating University A 22-10 to book a place in next week’s semi-finals ahead of Southern. Kaikorai and University A will meet again this week in one semifinal, while Harbour and Dunedin will meet in the other.

It will be an all New Plymouth final in Taranaki club rugby when top qualifiers New Plymouth Old Boys face off against Tukapa next Saturday.

The Eastern-Northern Barbarians made it 15 straight wins in the Southland Premier competition and the top qualifiers will host Marist in the Galbraith Shield semi-finals.

Top qualifier College Old Boys and Kia Toa will meet in one semi-final next week and Old Boys Marist and Varsity in the other in the Manawatu Hankins Shield semi-finals.

Top qualifiers Karaka will play Ardmore Marist in one semi-final and Bombay and Pukekohe will meet in the other in the Counties Manukau McNamara Cup playoffs next weekend.

New Zealand Mitre 10 Cup provinces Premier Rugby Scores for 9 July 2016–starting at the bottom of the country and moving up - were:

Southland
Premier
Blues 35 - Pirates Old Boys 27
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 78 - Star 7
Woodlands 19 - Marist 14
Top qualifiers: Eastern-Northern Barbarians

Otago
Kaikorai 22 – University 10 
Harbour 45 – Taieri 15
Dunedin 54 - Pirates14
Southern 50 - Green Island 5
Alhambra-Union 47 - Zingari-Richmond 15
Top qualifier: Harbour

Canterbury
Section 1
Christchurch 31 – New Brighton 15
Linwood 32 – Canterbury University 29
Lincoln University 34 – Sydenham 16
Section 2
Sumner 23 – High School Old Boys 17
Marist Albion 62 – Burnside 0
Shirley 25 – Belfast 18

Tasman
Nelson Bays
Waimea Old Boys 22 – Stoke 18
Marist 48 – Kahurangi 38
Nelson 35 - Wanderers 19
Marlborough
Waitohi 29 – Moutere 0
Harlequins 39 – Renwick 24
Central 47 – East Coast 5
Competition leaders: Wanderers (Nelson Bays) and Central (Marlborough)

Wellington
Premier Jubilee Cup
Marist St Pat’s 49 – Upper Hutt Rams 31
Old Boys University 24 – Poneke 17
Tawa 21 – Wellington 8
Wainuiomata 21 – Oriental-Rongotai 20
Premier 2 Hardham Cup
Northern United 50 – MSP B 13
Avalon 55 – Johnsonville 25
Petone 57 – Paremata-Plimmerton 17
HOBM 53 – OBU B 43
Competition leaders: MSP (Jubilee Cup) and HOBM (Hardham Cup)

Manawatu
College Old Boys 32 - Feilding Old Boys Oroua 24
Feilding 22 - Kia Toa 18
Old Boys Marist 22 - Varsity 18
Freyberg 29 - Linton Lions 27
Top qualifiers: College Old Boys

Hawke’s Bay
Napier Pirate 17 – Taradale 14
Central 18 – MAC 15
Napier Old Boys Marst 17 – Hastings 10
Napier Tech 25 – Clive 22
Havelock North 73 – Tamatea 12
Competition leaders after 7 rounds of 9: NOBM

Taranaki
Semi-finals
New Plymouth Old Boys 18 – Southern 12
Tukapa 24 – Coastal 15

Bay of Plenty
Baywide Premier 1
Rangataua 31 - Tauranga Sports 30
Te Puke 25 - Whakatane Marist 22
Mount Maunganui 36 - Te Puna 22
Rotoiti 49 - Greerton Marist 27
Baywide Premier 2
Paroa 32 - Poroporo 8
Ngongotaha 39 - Marist St Michael's 5
Whakarewarewa 32 - Opotiki 22
Arataki 42 - Waikite 24

Waikato
Hamilton Marist 53 – Morrinsville Sports 0
Melville 43 – Otorohanga 18
Fraser Tech 61- Te Awamutu Sports 15
Hamilton Old Boys 42 – United Matamata Sports 14
University 22 – Hautapu 20
Top qualifiers for semi-finals: Melville

Counties Manukau
Karaka 43 - Manurewa 29
Pukekohe 64 - Papakura
Te Kauwhata 43 - Weymouth 14
Patumahoe - Ardmore Marist 33
Bombay 50 - Waiuku 15
Onewhero - BYE
Top qualfiiers: Karaka

Auckland
Alan McEvoy Shield
College Rifles 34 - Marist 14
Papatoetoe 18 - Grammar TEC 14
Waitemata 43 - Pakuranga 33
Ponsonby 32 - Suburbs 18
Portola Trophy
Mt Wellington 16 - Manukau Rovers 15
University 62 - Otahuhu 0
Eden 21 - East Tamaki 19
Te Papapa Onehunga 11 - Waitakere City 11
Competition leaders: College Rifles (Alan McEvoy) and University (Portola)

North Harbour (first weekend of knockout matches)
Massey 55 - Glenfield 10
Northcote 13 – East Coast Bays 10 (10-10 at end of regulation fulltime)
Western Pioneers 60 - Mahurangi 24
Silverdale 17 - Marist 9

Northland
Unavailable/TBC