Waikato kept themselves in the semifinal frame with their comfortable victory over Bay of Plenty in Hamilton.
And they could give themselves an extra boost this weekend if they beat Otago in another home game.
Waikato are third, six points behind table-toppers North Harbour, but just one ahead ofthe fifth team on the ladder - Otago.
Five second-half tries eased any worries for Waikato after they had led the bottom-placed side by just 12-9 at the interval.
Bay of Plenty were hit by a series of late defections, but it did not show in the first 40 minutes against a Waikato team who had been expected to cruise to a win.
Waikato played into a breeze in the first half, but drifted away from their pattern and made countless turnovers after two early Roger Randle tries and the loss of skipper Deon Muir with a rib injury.
The Waikato forwards reasserted themselves in the third quarter and first five-eighth David Hill used the wind to gain territorial dominance.
From the three-point lead at the break, Waikato quickly moved out to 39-9 within the space of 16 minutes, helped by intercept tries to Hill and centre Keith Lowen.
Hill finished the match with 23 points to leave him just three short of his NPC century for the season.
Flanker Jonno Gibbes and penetrative second five-eighth Mark Ranby also added second-half tries.
Randle finished the scoring with his third try after replacement flanker Dave Dillon crossed for a consolation Bay of Plenty try.
Bay of Plenty lost prop Steve Simpkins with flu and high blood pressure, reserve wing Todd Blythe with flu, and lock Jason Chandler with a swollen foot before the match. They had to pull three players out of their B side to help to fill the gaps.
Also missing was first five-eighth Glen Jackson, who failed to recover in time from a knee injury received in a social match the previous weekend. Captain Mark Weedon and Dallas Seymour were also still out injured.
But Bay of Plenty's pack never gave up, with strong performances from flanker Wayne Ormond, until he suffered a knee injury, and lock Dave Duley.
