Northland beat arch-rivals for chance of finals double

A rare victory over Auckland has put two of the three Northland Maori Rugby teams on the verge of reaching the finals of the Northern Regions Maori competition, to be held in Whangarei this season.
The senior men's 32-22 victory on Saturday was the first win over Auckland in a decade, while the Colts side's 43-30 win confirmed their  status as favourites in their competition, where they are the defending champions.
The two wins at Papatoetoe Rugby Club on Saturday leave both sides needing to defeat North Harbour this weekend to secure final places at the regional finals to be hosted by Northland on March 6, at the Old Boys Rugby Club.
The senior team's forwards rocked the Auckland scrum with an early tight head and pressed home their advantage for the rest of the spell.
Centre Maihi Brown celebrated his return to the north by scoring from the resulting phases and then second five-eighth Toby Phillips scored again after 14 minutes. Two tries late in the spell went to the forwards, with captain Gary Whippy scoring after 35 minutes and then flanker James Kay went over again on the halftime whistle, to take a 20-0 advantage into the break.
Wellsford winger Matt Wright scored 15 minutes into the second half, which was converted by first five-eighth Cass Walding to give Northland a 27-0 lead. With the game virtually won, Auckland were allowed to gain some purchase in the encounter with a penalty to former Hikurangi first five-eighth Noel Edmonds and then they scored three tries, two of which were converted by Edmonds. Kamo winger Hunia Kingi scored the final try of the match for Northland.
Northland props Whippy and Ross Wright were selected as the players of the day, but the coaching staff, Laurie Davies and his assistant Snow Tane, were more than pleased with the overall effort and now turn their attention to beating North Harbour this Saturday.
Auckland just lost to North Harbour in the previous round a week earlier, so the Northland versus North Harbour on Saturday at Kumeu will decide who will play in the Northern Regions finals.
The Colts also dominated their opponents from the start to led 17-5 at the break.
Second five-eighth Whiria Meltzer scored a scintillating try after only two minutes. The Northland backs were clearly superior in the match with further tries to left winger Pera Wihongi and fullback Saxon Samuels and one conversion by first five Jordan Karena.
Samuels, No8 Jordyn Karena, halfback Kadin TeNana and flanker Tyson Owen scored one try each in the second half, with two more conversions to Karena and one by his replacement Tyler Landsdowne.
Auckland soundly beat North Harbour last week and were fired up for this match but the class and team spirit of the Northland team proved too much for Auckland.
Northland did tire to let Auckland in for 25 points in the second half something coaches Brad Te Haara and Peter Nock will no doubt focus on at training this week before the Saturday's game against Harbour, also at Kumeu.
The only defeat by Auckland came in the other game, as the Northland women were overpowered by  Auckland 12-68.