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NPC
SOU vs NHR
NPC
Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill
Southland
vs
North Harbour
59
FT
35
Action
Lineups
All
Facts Only
All
Full-Time: 59 - 35
It was a much better second half from Harbour, but it was simply too high a mountain to climb with a 40-point lead for the Stags at the break. This means that the season is over for both these sides with the visitors managing to pick up just the try bonus from this clash. Southland pick up the full complement of points thanks to their stunning performance, and that puts them up above Northland on the table to finish in 12th in 2024.
Southland generally just stifled the Harbour attack in the first half, getting themselves over breakdowns to force turnover ball and making some huge tackles that managed to force knocks or to send the visitors backwards. Harbour struggled to build any momentum with ball in hand as a result, and couldn't shift from attack to defence fast enough to slow the Stags's rampage once the home side got ball in hand.
The visitors struggled a bit at lineout time, throwing a couple of balls straight over the top and straight into Southland hands. The Stags were also able to get up on a couple of occasions to disrupt North Harbour's lineouts, preventing them from being able to get onto the front foot. Harbour also didn't help themselves much when it came to handling, with the minimal opportunities they had in the first half scuppered by knocks just as they looked like they were getting onto the front foot and into the right areas of the park.
Harbour managed just a single try in that first half as they seemed to be stunned into submission by that early spate of points from the home side, but they did manage to come back a little in the second half. They kept the Stags to just two tries in the second 40 while scoring four more of their own to at least come up with a bit more respectable a scoreline as well as the bonus point try, but it was far too little too late for the side that needed a win to give themselves a shot at the playoffs next weekend.
Southland were brutal throughout that first half in particular, with hooker Jack Taylor running in a hat-trick before the half-hour mark They were quick with ball in hand, spreading it around at a speed that the Harbour outfit simply couldn't keep up with to force gaps in the defence through which the home side could run. They were able to score from anywhere on the park, running in a couple straight from the restart gathered down in their 22. They were full of running, and helped by some great passing and offloading were able to keep the ball alive to get themselves down into the right areas of the park. And once they were there it was far too easy for them to get over the chalk for points, with the visitors coughing up plenty of penalties on defence trying desperately to prevent the Stags from adding to their tally.
An absolutely huge win for the Southland Stags here today in what has been a stunning result for a side that have only managed two wins before today in the 2024 season! And the result means that North Harbour will definitely miss out on the quarterfinals next weekend after falling well short today from the win they needed. The home side were on a rampage from the opening minute, scoring two quick tries within the opening 5 minutes. They didn't let up from there, adding another five tries before the break while only allowing Harbour a single try in the first 40.
80+1'
The hooter sounds, and the Stags are only too happy to smash it into the stands to take a huge win!
80'
Quick ball off the base of the scrum to Te Tamaki who spills it, but only after Harbour have failed to release him after making the tackle. Penalty to the home side.
79'
Straight over the top for Little, but he flicks it quickly on his inside to Tele'a who hits the line at speed and coughs the ball up.