Who plays who in NPC semis up to final round

North Harbour are keeping the corks firmly wedged in the champagne bottles as the NPC semifinals beckon.

Although the four teams left standing have been finalised - and with the final group of round robin matches still to be played - exactly who plays who and where on October 14-15 may not be known until Harbour's game against Southland in Invercargill next Sunday, which will complete the round.

Only Auckland are guaranteed a home semifinal, while Canterbury, Otago and North Harbour jockey for final positions.

"It will be a bit of a lolly scramble next weekend," Harbour coach Allan Pollock said.

"But I can promise you we're not going to be congratulating ourselves. The semifinals are just a stop, not a destination."

Of the four, only eventual champions Canterbury made the semifinals last year. Wellington, Waikato and Bay of Plenty completed that mix.

While Auckland can concentrate solely on lifting the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury on Saturday, North Harbour and Otago, who travel to battling Waikato for their last game, will want to keep on their respective rolls. Otago have won four on the trot; Harbour three.

"I'm so proud of the guys. The way we are playing we deserved to be in the semifinals and if we carry on like this we'll deserve to be in the final," influential Harbour captain Rua Tipoki said.

Certainly Harbour, who have never won the first division crown, have got tongues wagging with their vastly improved pack and fast, elusive, in-form backs.

Former All Black Kieran Crowley gave them high praise after watching his Taranaki team get taken apart 37-3 at Albany on Saturday night. He won't be surprised to find them in the October 22 final.

"I think they're the form team," he said. "The forward pack is their unsung strength. They're a team that, if I was a betting man, I'd have in my quinella."

Unlike last season, when five points covered the teams from second to sixth, the top have proved themselves clearly the rightful semifinalists.

In Auckland's case, their focus can be exclusively on ending Canterbury's shield reign.

Coach Pat Lam used Brad Mika at No 8 and Angus Macdonald at lock in the 29-22 win over Wellington at Eden Park which confirmed the home semifinal, a reversal of their early-season roles.

All Black fullback Mils Muliaina came off the bench in the second half for his first NPC action this season, but Lam insisted there was no heat from the All Black selectors on who they'd like to see playing or where.

"No pressure at all," he said.

"My job is Auckland rugby. The most important thing is the selectors want to see good rugby.

"We pick what is best for this team, and what will be best to play Canterbury."

State of the semifinalists

* Auckland top the table with one round remaining on 33 points. Canterbury have 30, Otago 28 and North Harbour 27.

* Of the four confirmed semifinalists, only Auckland are certain of being a host on either October 14 or 15.

* If Canterbury hold the Ranfurly Shield against Auckland on Saturday night, they will secure a home semifinal.

* A win by Otago over Waikato or North Harbour against Southland could get either a home semi, but only if Canterbury lose to Auckland.

* North Harbour need both Canterbury and Otago to lose to host the other semifinal.