Rugby: Frustrating weekend for Northland teams

Kaleb Harema.

Northland's Roller Mills team may have tasted defeat for the first time but they still remain in second place, after going down 17-7 to North Harbour in Silverdale.

Despite the loss, the side sits in a handy position as they head into this weekend's final pool game against Auckland West in Dargaville - before heading to Tauranga for the finals weekend over October 4-5.

Northland were first on the board on Saturday, continuing on from their dominating 48-5 win over Thames Valley last weekend, through the efforts of Anton Weight who dotted down.

Kaleb Harema converted Weight's try, giving the Northlanders a 7-0 advantage early. However, North Harbour fought back and eventually took the game - scoring their first win of the season in the process.

While Weight scored Northland's only try, it was Grizzlies player Liam Harding who picked up the player of the day award.

Weekly games for the Northlanders is a different format for this year's Roller Mills Tournament, going away from the traditional week-long competition - which has produced at least 62 All Blacks since it was first run in 1925.

This is due to the need to reduce travel and accommodation costs, although the changes have met some opposition. The main areas of concern are having the competition lose its traditional feel and flavour, not to mention the social aspect for parents who made a week of it supporting their children.

Last year Northland finished runners-up in the Roller Mills tournament, after beating a strong Auckland West team before losing the final to Auckland East.

• In other Northland representative fixtures over the weekend, no Northland side had any luck over their Auckland opposition.

The under-16 grade saw Northland North lose 28-18 to Auckland South while Northland South lost 31-9 to Auckland West. Northland's under-14 south team also went down, this time 36-22 to Auckland South.

Also suffering defeats were Northland's under-19 team, going down 29-20 to Auckland's under-19 B team, and the Northland secondary school girls' team lost 31-5 to Auckland's under-18 East girls' team.

Roller Mills

Result: Northland: 7 (Anton Weight try; Kaleb Harema conversion) North Harbour: 17.

Standings: Auckland West 14, Northland 9, BOP 9, North Harbour 4, Thames Valley 0.

Northland fixtures: September 27: vs Auckland West, 12pm, Dargaville; October 4-5: finals weekend at Tauranga.