Spellbinding - but Waikato aren't charmed

North Harbour 40 Waikato 21

Waikato offered little on attack against North Harbour as they plummeted out of NPC finals contention for the first time in four seasons.

But their captain Steven Bates went on the offensive after yesterday's match at Albany, suggesting Harbour coach Allan Pollock had cast a spell over the match officials in regards to Waikato's now infamous rushing defensive system.

North Harbour jumped to fourth spot with their impressive victory, which was built around the brilliant inside-back trio of Luke McAlister, Rua Tipoki and Anthony Tuitavake.

The match started with Waikato wing Sitiveni Sivivatu throwing a pass that was more entire health service than hospital to his fullback Willie Ripia, who had no time to check his insurance forms before being smashed by Tuitavake.

It was a game where the opening moments set the tone. Bates admitted later that at 14-0 down after 10 minutes, and following three consecutive losses, his side may have been lulled into thinking "here we go again".

Bates, who put in another belligerent performance and had nothing but praise for North Harbour, emerged with a head injury swathed in plastic food wrap.

It would have been a contender in the wearable arts awards and as it turned out, was not the only big rap on offer.

On the subject of the defensive strategy, Bates said: "I thought there were a couple of times when Harbour were quick off the mark from short lineouts and nothing happened.

"I thought they [the officials] were very tough on us but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

"I'll give a big rap to their coaching staff. They said something midweek which stuck in the touch judges' minds. I thought their coach did a very good job on that."

Coach Warren Gatland was less dogmatic, but pointed out the touch judges' roles in the penalty calls.

In the final wrap however, referee Lyndon Bray and his assistants Greg Watson and Nigel Hooper had no effect on the outcome.

Waikato were indeed "limp", as Gatland said, giving no impression of being on a do-or-die mission.

A Tipoki chip kick had brought McAlister an early try, and the Terrific Trio combined for a Tuitavake score on 10 minutes.

Waikato's test halfback Byron Kelleher then departed with a suspected rib cartilage problem, adding to the general Waikato gloom.

McAlister may know every centimetre of his home turf but it hardly mattered as he bypassed large amounts of it with booming clearing kicks, aided by the wind, when Harbour were on defence.

Tuitavake though is the one really catching the eye. There is a bit of a clamour on for him to make the next All Black tour, although the selectors may query his lack of size.

But his ability to zero in on tackles and make brilliantly timed runs are the individual highlights of Harbour's game right now.

It was his 47th minute try, hitting a gap perfectly after a Tipoki step, that gave North Harbour a 30-9 advantage and put Waikato away.

The visitors did well to keep the margin to only 19 points, given the extent to which they were outgunned and that their rushing defence had an alarming ability to rush away from where it was needed.

Harbour flanker Tom Harding was even able to ignore a two-man overlap and cut between two defenders on a swirling run for his side's final try.

Tipoki pointed to a greater reliability in the forwards for their good form, which meant the backs did not have to take crazy risks, as in years gone by.

"We didn't used to know if we would even win our own scrums and lineouts. We used to live on scraps, now we can play for position."