Rugby: Second win for Harbour

Willie Walker of North Harbour makes a break as teammate Scott Uren runs in support. Photo / Getty Images

North Harbour 33 Northland 26

North Harbour secured a well-earned 33-26 victory over Northland at North Harbour Stadium in Albany.

Harbour's second win of the ITM Cup campaign lifts them off the foot of the Championship table into fifth, a point behind their opponents in fourth.

The North Shore based team scored three tries to two in a match that lit up in the secondhalf after an opening stanza littered with penalties and basic handling errors.

Willie Walker, David Raikuna and Matt Luamanu scored for Harbour to cancel out the efforts of Cameron Goodhue and Bryce Heem who touched down for Northland.

The kickers from both teams were sublime with North Harbour's Ben Botica kicking seven from seven for 18 points and Lachie Munro coming away with 16 points off the boot.

With neither team in the running for a playoffs spot, today's match was a last chance effort for players to stake their claim for positions in the 2012 Blues Super Rugby squad.

Leading 13-12 at the break, Harbour's Raikuna cut open the Northland backline to score his side's second five-pointer in the 42nd minute.

After overloading the left-hand side, Harbour went right where the Fijian flyer cut in-between two players before before fending off Jared Payne's last-ditch tackle to score a brilliant individual try.

With Botica kicking the conversion and nailing his third penalty three minutes later Harbour extended the margin to 23-12 after 51 minutes.

Harbour's two-try advantage looked out of reach for Northland who had rarely threatened the opposition tryline.

Yet the Taniwhas were given a lifeline with the injection of replacement number-eight Goodhue who made an immediate contribution off the bench.

Goodhue broke to the blindside off a five metre scrum but with the Harbour flankers over-running the play, the head-geared forward couldn't believe his fortune as he strolled through a gapping hole in the defence.

Northland hit the lead in the 60th minute through sevens representative Heem who stepped inside Rudi Wulf's weak attempted tackle before outpacing the Harbour backs to score in the corner.

Munro added the extras to see his side take a 26-23 lead.

The home team struck back immediately after the kick-off as the barn-storming Luamanu took an offload from replacement hooker Matt Leiataua before swerving past Munro and charging 30 metres to score.

Botica converted from beside the uprights for a 30-26 lead to set up a nervy final ten minutes.

Any hopes of a late Northland try were snuffed out by Harbour's desperate defence, as lock Matt Burman gave up a penalty in his 22 for not releasing the ball.

Botica stepped up to land his fourth penalty of the night in the 77th minute for the 33-26 final score.

North Harbour 33 (Willie Walker, David Raikuna, Mat Luamanu tries; Ben Botica 4 pen, 3 con) Northland 26 (Cameron Goodhue, Bryce Heem tries; Lachie Munro 4 pen, 2 con). Halftime: 13-12

- HERALD ONLINE