Two seasons ago, North Harbour and Northland were lingering at the bottom of the Mitre 10 Cup Championship ranks, fast forward to 2017 and they have been setting the competition alight.
North Harbour, promoted to the Premiership after their play-offs victories over Wellington and Otago last year, added another scalp to their already impressive list when beating Counties Manukau 27-18 in the latest round and are in second place behind Canterbury, two bonus points adrift.
Northland sit in second place in the Championship, one game in arrears and six points behind leaders Wellington, but knowing they have the ability to take it to the best sides after dishing out a 37-7 thrashing of Premiership side Waikato in Whangarei on Saturday.
COMING UP THIS WEEK
Week Five action in the Mitre 10 Cup:
CANTERBURY v COUNTIES MANUKAU (RS) Wednesday 13 September, 7.35pm at AMI Stadium, Christchurch |
Played: 38, 1960-2016 | Canterbury wins: 26| Counties Manukau wins: 11| Draws: 1 Last match: Canterbury 22 Counties Manukau 7, 23.10.16 in Christchurch (M10C PSF) Last Counties Manukau win: Counties Manukau 33 Canterbury 21, 15.10.16 in Pukekohe (M10C) Biggest Canterbury score: 82, 04.09.99 in Pukekohe (NPC) Biggest Counties Manukau score: 49, 10.10.98 in Christchurch (NPC) Biggest differential: Canterbury by 60 (82-22), 04.09.99 in Pukekohe (NPC) |
NORTHLAND v NORTH HARBOUR Thursday 14 September, 7.35pm at Toll Stadium, Whangarei |
Played: 38, 1985-2016 | Northland wins: 12 | North Harbour wins: 24 | Draws: 2 Last match: North Harbour 44 Northland 28, 16.10.16 in Whangarei (M10C) Last Northland win: Northland 58 North Harbour 27, 03.10.14 in Whangarei (ITMC) Biggest Northland score: 58, 03.10.14 in Whangarei (ITMC) Biggest North Harbour score: 56, 04.09.05 in Albany (NPC) Biggest differential: North Harbour by 39 (56-17), 04.09.05 in Albany (NPC) |
SOUTHLAND v AUCKLAND Friday 15 September, 5.45pm at Rugby Park, Invercargill |
Played: 54, 1903-2016 | Southland wins: 8 | Auckland wins: 43 | Draws: 3 Last match: Auckland 51 Southland 16, 02.09.16 in Invercargill Last Southland win: Southland 9 Auckland 6, 23.09.10 in Invercargill (ITMC RS) Biggest Southland score: 37, 28.08.05 in Auckland (NPC) Biggest Auckland score: 78, 08.09.90 in Auckland (NPC RS) Biggest differential: Auckland by 71 (78-7), 08.09.90 in Auckland (NPC RS) |
TARANAKI v BAY OF PLENTY Friday 15 September, 7.45pm at Yarrow Stadium, Taranaki |
Played: 42, 1925-2016 | Taranaki wins: 26 | Bay of Plenty wins: 16 Last match: Taranaki 30 Bay of Plenty 22, 21.08.16 in Tauranga (M10C) Last Bay of Plenty win: Bay of Plenty 20 Taranaki 16, 09.09.06 in Mt Maunganui (ANZC) Biggest Taranaki score: 58, 28.08.04 in New Plymouth (NPC) Biggest Bay of Plenty score: 51, 25.07.87 in New Plymouth (NPC) Biggest differential: Taranaki by 44 (58-14), 28.08.04 in New Plymouth (NPC) |
WAIKATO v MANAWATU Saturday 16 September, 2.35pm at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton |
Played: 28, 1921-2016 | Waikato wins: 20 | Manawatu wins: 6 | Draws: 2 Last match: Waikato 19 Manawatu 10, 04.09.16 in Hamilton (M10C RS) Last Manawatu win: Manawatu 22 Waikato 20, 27.09.14 in Hamilton (ITMC) Biggest Waikato score: 52, 27.03.93 in Palmerston North Biggest Manawatu score: 54, 20.08.11 in Palmerston North (ITMC) Biggest differential: Waikato by 37 (52-15), 27.03.93 in Palmerston North |
OTAGO v TASMAN Saturday 16 September, 4.35pm at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin |
Played: 11, 2007-2016 | Otago wins: 7 | Tasman wins: 3 | Draws: 1 Last match: Otago 30 Tasman 27, 10.09.16 in Dunedin (M10C) Last Tasman win: Tasman 34 Otago 17, 04.09.15 in Dunedin (ITMC) Biggest Otago score: 41, 19.10.12 in Dunedin (ITMC CSF) Biggest Tasman score: 49, 06.09.13 in Nelson (ITMC) Biggest differential: Tasman by 33 (49-16), 06.09.13 in Nelson (ITMC) |
COUNTIES MANUKAU v HAWKE’S BAY Sunday 17 September, 2.35pm at ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe |
Played: 53, 1956-2016 | Counties Manukau wins: 23 | Hawke’s Bay wins: 29 | Draws: 1 Last match: Counties Manukau 48 Hawke’s Bay 20, 01.09.16 (M10C) Last Hawke’s Bay win: Hawke’s Bay 35 Counties Manukau 11, 28.09.15 in Pukekohe (ITMC) Biggest Counties Manukau score: 48, 01.09.16 in Napier (M10C) Biggest Hawke’s Bay score: 67, 31.07.96 in Pukekohe Biggest differential: Hawke’s Bay by 46 (54-8), 08.10.09 in Napier (ITMC) |
WELLINGTON v CANTERBURY Sunday 17 September, 4.35pm at Westpac Stadium, Wellington |
Played: 171, 1883-2014 | Wellington wins: 86 | Canterbury wins: 75 | Draws: 10 Last match: Canterbury 46 Wellington 12, 12.09.14 in Christchurch (ITMC) Last Wellington win: Wellington 25 Canterbury 19, 21.09.13 in Wellington (ITMC) Biggest Wellington score: 48, 15.09.90 in Wellington (NPC) Biggest Canterbury score: 73, 18.08.97 in Christchurch (NPC) Biggest differential: Canterbury by 66 (73-7), 18.08.97 in Christchurch (NPC) |
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