It might not have been a victory but North Harbour gained some pride with a late try to gain a deserved 33-33 draw with Northland in a drama-packed thriller at Albany last night.
Down 8-20 at halftime in their fourth game in 14 days Harbour tied the score two minutes from the end when All Black squad member Francis Saili laid on a try for wing Nafi Tuitavake and super sub Jon Elrick converted.
The game was tied at 8-8 after the first quarter. Blindside flanker Jordan Manihera finished off 16 phases with a try in the corner for Harbour but Northland struck back almost immediately when Rene Ranger turned over possession and wing Rupeni Caucaunibuca raced 60m for the try.
It got even better for Northland when fullback Whiria Meltzer finished off a 70m move which featured brilliant support play.
Caucaunibuca scored his second after 34 minutes, barging through a tackle
to give Northland a 17-point lead at halftime.
There was an unacceptably long delay when Harbour were denied a try by the television match official James Slater early in the second spell but justice was done straight after when prop Greg Pleasants-Tate crashed over from a forward drive.
The deficit was reduced to three points after nine minutes when captain James Parsons scored and Codey Rei converted.
Then Northland flanker Dan Pryor sprinted 50m for the bonus point try.
Harbour's plight became worse when flanker Zac Judge was red carded - the first of the competition - k 15 minutes from the end for a tip tackle on Ranger. Ranger was binned two minutes later for a professional foul.
Elrick kicked two penalties in quick succession but Seymour kicked his third penalty to give the Taniwha a seven-point buffer.
But then came Saili's clean break, Elrick's superb conversion.
North Harbour 33 (J. Manihera, G. Pleasants-Tate, J. Parsons, N. Tuitavake tries, C. Rei con, pen, J. Elrick con, 2 pens) Northland 33 (R. Caucaunibuca 2, W. Meltzer, D. Pryor tries, B. Seymour 2 con, 3 pens). HT: 20-8.
Taranaki have won the battle of the basement, earning their first victory of the season after edging Southland 15-14 in Invercargill.
It was a frantic, disjointed game with Southland dominating the last 10 minutes but unable to land the killer punch to get ahead on the scoreboard.
Taranaki 15 (J. Ormond, I. Tuifua tries; A. Taylor pen, con) Southland 14 (T. Cornforth try; S. Eade 2 pens, McKenzie pen). HT: 8-3. APNZ
- Brent Edwards
