ITM Cup

Follow @RedefinedRugby   Manawatu have defeated a willing Southland 23-18 in cloudy conditions at FMG Stadium in Palmerston North to book their place in the 2014 ITM Cup Championship Final. Rain early in the day ensured that conditions were testing at times, while light drizzle fell later in the match. However that did not

Follow @RedefinedRugby Above: Brad Shields, alongside Victor Vito and Ross Filipo, leads the Wellington Lions out on to the field at Westpac Stadium on Saturday against North Harbour. In a difficult season, Shields makes this ITM Cup form XV.  Opinion: The ITM Cup has reached the semi-final stages and the non-Super Rugby

Follow @RedefinedRugby Contrasting running skills provided a thrilling end to the ITM Cup season proper before Counties Manukau beat Tasman 16-21 in Blenheim on Sunday. Tasman threw everything into a desperate assault as the final hooter sounded but despite keeping the ball alive for two minutes there was no way through

Follow @RedefinedRugby There is life in the old legs after all as the defending ITM Cup Premiership champions halted a three-match losing streak to defeat Taranaki 26-23 after it looked like the Amber and Blacks had closed out the game. The turning point was the sinbinning of the impressive Waisake Naholo

Follow @RedefinedRugby   Auckland picked themselves up and dusted themselves off after their midweek thrashing by Counties Manukau to assure themselves of an ITM Cup semi-finals berth in beating Northland 38-10 at Eden Park on Saturday. They had to deal with a combative, but ultimately, under-powered Northland team who were out-muscled in the