All to play for in Farah Palmer Cup

Photo:Waikato captain Sosoli Talawadua bagged two tries in her side's win over Manawatū on Friday night. (DAVID UNWIN/STUFF)

Last weekend Farah Palmer Cup holders Counties Manukau ended made a small piece of history byprising the JJ Stewart Trophy out of Auckland’s hands.

This weekend they made history again - by holding the trophy for the briefest period ever, when they were beaten 29-32 by Canterbury in Papakura on Saturday.

What perhaps made it worse is that Counties were well in command at the break, when they lead 24-5, but Canterbury – lead by Kendra Cocksedge - roared back with three tries, dominating set-pieces where they had struggled in the first half.

Even so, Counties nearly stole after regaining the lead shortly after Canterbury’s third try, but Grace Brooker, with three minutes remaining, scored the decisive try for the visitors.

"With Counties being quite a bit bigger, and not quite so mobile around the paddock, that is where we wanted to go with it (the game plan)," coach Wayne Love said. "And, certainly, in the second half, it worked well.

"We identified a bit of space out wide and that is reflected in the wingers and fullback scoring four of the tries."

Thanks to their stash of bonus points, Counties Manukau remain top – but are now just two points clear of Canterbury.

Indeed just six points now separates top from bottom in the Premiership after Auckland were pushed all the way by Wellington at Porirua Park before ending with a 31-30 victory, and Waikato recorded a second win, travelling to beat Manuwatu 36-28. With just three weeks remaining in the pool phase every bonus point is going to matter.

It’s a different matter in the Championship, where Bay of Plenty took advantage of Otago’s week off to extend their lead with a four-try bonus point 38-15 win over Tasman. They are now seven points clear of Otago, and 13 points ahead of North Harbour, who achieved their first win when beating Hawke's Bay 20-0.

RESULTS:

Manawatu 28 (Kendall Templeman 2, Jessica Fagan-Pease, Sam McIntosh tries; Elizabeth Goulden con, 2 pen) Waikato 36 (Sosoli Talawadua 2, Emma Lee Heta, Natalie Delamere, Toka Natua tries; Chelsea Alley con, pen; Ariana Bayler pen) HT: 10-13

Wellington Pride 30 (Ayesha Leti-Liga 2, Angel Uila, Vaine Masters tries; Acacia Te Iwimate 2 con, 2 pen) Auckland Storm 31 (Tiana Ngawati 2, Charlene Gubb, Onjeurlena Leiataua, Joanna Fanene tries; Emma Jensen 3 con). HT: 18-12

Counties Manukau 29 (Serai Murray Wihongi, Aotearoa Matau, Utumalama Antonio, Ariana Marino, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate tries; Hazel Tubic 2 con) Canterbury 32 (Melanie Puckett, Sam Curtis 2, Rebecca Todd, Kendra Cocksedge, Grace Brooker tries; Cocksedge con). HT: 24-5

North Harbour 20 (Justin Vizigianakis, Caitlyn Cox, Charmaine Smith tries; Sophie Fisher con, pen) Hawke's Bay 0.

Bay of Plenty Volcanix 38 (Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly 2, Ora Williams, Luka Connor, Sapphire Tapsell, Sequoia Autumn Te Aonui tries, Crystal Mayes 4 con) Tasman 15 (Wairakau Greig 2, Shellie Barrie tries) HT: 21-5.

Premiership

Team

Played

Win

Draw

Loss

For

Against

BP1

BP2

Points

Counties Manukau

4

3

0

1

197

51

4

1

17

Canterbury

4

3

0

1

104

87

2

0

14

Wellington

4

2

0

2

109

81

3

1

12

Auckland

4

2

1

1

94

88

2

0

12

Manawatu

3

1

0

2

73

103

2

0

11

Waikato

4

2

0

2

66

104

2

1

11

Championship

Team

Played

Win

Draw

Loss

For

Against

BP1

BP2

Points

Bay of Plenty

4

3

1

0

106

47

3

0

17

Otago

3

2

0

1

128

37

2

0

10

North Harbour

3

1

0

2

39

118

0

0

4

Hawkes Bay

4

0

0

4

37

124

0

0

0

Tasman

3

0

0

3

32

145

0

0

0

Last weekend Farah Palmer Cup holders Counties Manukau ended made a small piece of history byprising the JJ Stewart Trophy out of Auckland’s hands.

This weekend they made history again - by holding the trophy for the briefest period ever, when they were beaten 29-32 by Canterbury in Papakura on Saturday.

What perhaps made it worse is that Counties were well in command at the break, when they lead 24-5, but Canterbury – lead by Kendra Cocksedge - roared back with three tries, dominating set-pieces where they had struggled in the first half.

Even so, Counties nearly stole after regaining the lead shortly after Canterbury’s third try, but Grace Brooker, with three minutes remaining, scored the decisive try for the visitors.

"With Counties being quite a bit bigger, and not quite so mobile around the paddock, that is where we wanted to go with it (the game plan)," coach Wayne Love said. "And, certainly, in the second half, it worked well.

"We identified a bit of space out wide and that is reflected in the wingers and fullback scoring four of the tries."

Thanks to their stash of bonus points, Counties Manukau remain top – but are now just two points clear of Canterbury.

Indeed just six points now separates top from bottom in the Premiership after Auckland were pushed all the way by Wellington at Porirua Park before ending with a 31-30 victory, and Waikato recorded a second win, travelling to beat Manuwatu 36-28. With just three weeks remaining in the pool phase every bonus point is going to matter.

It’s a different matter in the Championship, where Bay of Plenty took advantage of Otago’s week off to extend their lead with a four-try bonus point 38-15 win over Tasman. They are now seven points clear of Otago, and 13 points ahead of North Harbour, who achieved their first win when beating Hawke's Bay 20-0.

RESULTS:

Manawatu 28 (Kendall Templeman 2, Jessica Fagan-Pease, Sam McIntosh tries; Elizabeth Goulden con, 2 pen) Waikato 36 (Sosoli Talawadua 2, Emma Lee Heta, Natalie Delamere, Toka Natua tries; Chelsea Alley con, pen; Ariana Bayler pen) HT: 10-13

Wellington Pride 30 (Ayesha Leti-Liga 2, Angel Uila, Vaine Masters tries; Acacia Te Iwimate 2 con, 2 pen) Auckland Storm 31 (Tiana Ngawati 2, Charlene Gubb, Onjeurlena Leiataua, Joanna Fanene tries; Emma Jensen 3 con). HT: 18-12

Counties Manukau 29 (Serai Murray Wihongi, Aotearoa Matau, Utumalama Antonio, Ariana Marino, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate tries; Hazel Tubic 2 con) Canterbury 32 (Melanie Puckett, Sam Curtis 2, Rebecca Todd, Kendra Cocksedge, Grace Brooker tries; Cocksedge con). HT: 24-5

North Harbour 20 (Justin Vizigianakis, Caitlyn Cox, Charmaine Smith tries; Sophie Fisher con, pen) Hawke's Bay 0.

Bay of Plenty Volcanix 38 (Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly 2, Ora Williams, Luka Connor, Sapphire Tapsell, Sequoia Autumn Te Aonui tries, Crystal Mayes 4 con) Tasman 15 (Wairakau Greig 2, Shellie Barrie tries) HT: 21-5.

Premiership

Team

Played

Win

Draw

Loss

For

Against

BP1

BP2

Points

Counties Manukau

4

3

0

1

197

51

4

1

17

Canterbury

4

3

0

1

104

87

2

0

14

Wellington

4

2

0

2

109

81

3

1

12

Auckland

4

2

1

1

94

88

2

0

12

Manawatu

3

1

0

2

73

103

2

0

11

Waikato

4

2

0

2

66

104

2

1

11

Championship

Team

Played

Win

Draw

Loss

For

Against

BP1

BP2

Points

Bay of Plenty

4

3

1

0

106

47

3

0

17

Otago

3

2

0

1

128

37

2

0

10

North Harbour

3

1

0

2

39

118

0

0

4

Hawkes Bay

4

0

0

4

37

124

0

0

0

Tasman

3

0

0

3

32

145

0

0

0