Farah Palmer final 4 decided

Photo: Lynn McConnell/NZRU/Getty

Waikato made the ultimate “great escape” in the final round of the Farah Palmer Cup regular season, leaping from apparent relegation certainties to a semi-final berth with their first ever win against Auckland.

Waikato have waited since they first played Auckland in 1999 to secure their first win against them, and they managed it at Bell Park - in Auckland - claiming a 43-34 victory. The two teams shared 12 tries between them in an encounter not lacking entertainment, but Waikato – who lead 28-12 at halftime – scored seven of them, Rina Paraone and Karli Faneva getting a brace each.

It was a win the leap-frogged Waikato into third spot, leaving Auckland to wait on the game between Counties Manukau and Manawatu, but they need not have worried as champions Counties Manukau were in imperious form with an eight-try 48-0 win that secured top qualifying spot – and a home tie with Auckland.

Canterbury also ensured themselves of a home semi-final after another high-scoring encounter with Wellington in Christchurch, winning 55-34 to give them a tie with Waikato next weekend ina game live-streamedby NZRU.

For Wellington it was a defeat that looks like relegating them to the Championship next year by an agonising one point difference, as they finish level with Manuwatu on 18 championship points, but have a match point difference of minus one (197-198) to Manuwatu’s zero (174-174).

In the Championship Tasman enjoyed an historic moment when beating Hawke's Bay 24-12 in Nelson to claim their first victory in the competition. The result had no bearing on the Championship playoffs, where Otago and North Harbour played a dress rehearsal for next weekend’s semi-final to see who will play Bay of Plenty for a place in next year’s Premiership.

Mitre 10 Farah Palmer Cup results, Week Seven:

Auckland Storm 34 (Hinemoa Watene, Aleisha Pearl Nelson 2, Karina Stowers, Ruahei Demant tries; Emma Jensen 3 con, pen) Waikato 43 (Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Ryleigh Hayes, Rina Paraone 2, Hannah Brough, Karli Faneva 2 tries; Ariana Bayler 4 con). HT: 12-28

Canterbury 55 (Kendra Cocksedge 2, Lucy Anderson 2, Corrina Whiley 2, Nicole Purdom, Stephanie Ohaere Fox tries; Cocksedge 6 con, pen) Wellington Pride 34 (Cheyne Copeland, Ayesha Leti-Liga 2, Jackie Patea-Fereti 2, Dhys Falefaga tries; Copeland 2 con). HT: 34-17

Manawatu Cyclones 0 Counties Manukau Heat 48 (Harono Irini, Emily Kitson, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Bernadette Robertson, Aotearoa Matau 2, Hazel Tubic, Yuki Ono tries; Tubic 4 con). HT: 0-31

Tasman Makos 24 (Dana Wilson, Stephanie Mitchell, Risi Pouri-Lane tries; Pouri-Lane 3 con, pen) Hawke's Bay Tuis 12 (Te Maari McGregor, Felicity Powdrell tries; Amy Williams con)

Farah Palmer Cup Premiership

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

BP1

BP2

Pts

Counties Manukau

6

5

0

1

288

64

6

1

32*

Canterbury

7

6

0

1

257

153

5

0

29

Waikato

7

4

0

3

148

186

3

1

20

Auckland

7

3

2

2

180

151

4

0

20

Manawatu

6

2

1

3

174

174

3

0

18*

Wellington

7

3

0

4

197

198

5

1

18

*Includes 5 bonus points for a “bye” in a crossover weekend

Farah Palmer Cup Championship

Team

P

W

D

L

F

A

BP1

BP2

Pts

Bay of Plenty

6

4

1

1

150

83

4

1

23

Otago

5

2

0

3

164

105

2

0

10

North Harbour

5

2

0

3

69

167

1

0

9

Tasman

6

1

0

5

80

249

0

0

4

Hawkes Bay

6

0

0

6

57

234

0

0

0