Counties fined for breach of rules - again

Counties Manukau will play Nelson Bays in their second division semifinal this weekend, but have received a second slap over the knuckles from their masters.

Counties, who host Nelson Bays at Pukekohe on Sunday, have been found to have breached the rules on player eligibility for a second time this season.

They were fined last month for fielding an ineligible player in their second round loss to Hawkes Bay and yesterday the union copped a $6500 fine from the New Zealand Rugby Union for a second offence.

The NZRFU decided that Counties had broken the rule by playing lock Cole Mooney in their round four win against Wanganui. Bruce Squire, QC, sitting as a sub-committee of the NZRFU board, found Mooney had submitted an application for clearance to the Irish Rugby Union to return to New Zealand, but it was not sent to New Zealand and Counties had not completed the necessary eligibility requirements.

Squire found it was not deliberate but could have been avoided with greater care and attention to detail.

Tim Manawatu scored four of Counties Manukau's six tries in their 34-10 win over Manawatu on Saturday. The result was irrelevant in that Counties were already sure of a home semifinal, as were pacesetters Hawkes Bay, who had the bye at the weekend.

Hawkes Bay will host North Otago in Napier in the first semifinal on Saturday.

North Otago confirmed their place in the top four with a 50-13 win over Poverty Bay in Oamaru.

* One team did it easy, the other tough, but the outcome was the same for Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wairarapa-Bush, who square off in the third division final in Masterton on Saturday.

Horowhenua-Kapiti were near their best in thumping King Country 37-5 in Levin but their near neighbours looked anything but competition favourites as they struggled to put away a tenacious Buller 20-14.

Horowhenua-Kapiti produced arguably their best performance of the season with a display of brutal defence and extreme pace to run in six tries.

In Masterton, a decisive win appeared in the offing when top qualifiers Wairarapa-Bush scored a try in the first minute of play.

But fourth qualifiers Buller replied with one of their own four minutes later and there was precious little between the two sides in terms of both territory and possession.

Second division semifinals

Hawkes Bay v North Otago, Saturday 5.30pm

Counties v Nelson Bays, Sunday 2.35pm

Third division final

Horowhenua-Kapiti v Wairarapa-Bush, Saturday 2.35pm