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Home / Northern Advocate / Sport

Race to grab last finals spot on knife edge

By Rugby
Northern Advocate·
15 Jul, 2016 06:00 PM3 mins to read

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BIG PUSH: Wellsford's Jayden Mainland shaping to break the line earlier in the season. They'll need more of the same as they look to lock up a finals spot. PHOTO/TANIA WHYTE

BIG PUSH: Wellsford's Jayden Mainland shaping to break the line earlier in the season. They'll need more of the same as they look to lock up a finals spot. PHOTO/TANIA WHYTE

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Tensions are on a knife edge for Wellsford and Otamatea ahead of their last regular season fixtures.

The Bayleys Southern Districts' Premier competition has three sides locked in to play finals rugby - Old Boys Marist (OBM), Mid Northern and Waipu - but it has one last spot to give.

Wellsford are in the box seat following their impressive 36-34 win over Waipu in the penultimate round, sitting two points ahead of outsiders Otamatea.

Otamatea had a good win themselves, outlasting Mid Western 41-29 in an absorbing contest.

Both teams have relatively easy fixtures to end the season.

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Wellsford take on ninth-placed Kamo, while Otamatea travel to Hora Hora, who sit in eighth position.

Results need to go Otamatea's way for them to snatch fourth.

If they win with a bonus point, they need Wellsford to at best draw to sneak into the top four.

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Winning without a bonus point would mean all that Wellsford would have to do is at least draw to qualify fourth.

Meanwhile, OBM and Mid Northern are still tussling for top spot on the ladder.

While both have secured home semifinals, they will both want bragging rights.

OBM have the easiest path to this as they are ahead on the table by one point.

If they beat Mid Western, with or without a bonus point, they finish first.

If they draw or lose, they need Mid Northern to do the same to keep pole position.

Mid Northern have the toughest fixture of the round, travelling to Waipu in what could be a semifinal matchup.

Waipu, secured in third position regardless of any result, will look to provide a statement win ahead of the playoffs.

In the other competitions, the finals have arrived. The Bay of Islands Seniors semis see two games where the away sides will be hoping for an upset.

Moerewa host Kawakawa and Kerikeri take on Ohaeawai, both home sides being heavily favoured.

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Moerewa and Kerikeri lost only once each during the regular season.

However, Kawakawa and Kerikeri both have good sides that can really pressure their opponents. In the bottom four playoffs, Kaeo play Okaihau while Kaikohe take on Otiria. Meanwhile, the Mangonui Seniors have semifinals again filled with upset potential.

Awanui have home advantage against Panguru, while Te Rarawa travel to Eastern. While there was a disparity between second and third place on the table - Eastern, 49, were 11 points ahead of Te Rarawa - the away sides both have proven good enough to contest in the finals.

Te Rarawa just have to look back to round nine, where they beat Eastern 34-26, to give themselves confidence.

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