Northland waste little time stamping superiority

Northland took just 10 minutes to give conclusive evidence of the wide gulf between first and second division rugby when they left Hawkes Bay's challenge by the wayside.

They scored 10 tries to two to beat the second division champions 66-12 in the promotion-relegation match at Napier on Saturday.

Though Hawkes Bay were a cut above the rest in their division, they were no match for Northland, who had finished at the bottom of the first division,

First five-eighth Jared Going and second-five Jason Shoemark scored a try each and James Arlidge converted both to put Northland on the way to victory within 10 minutes of kickoff. It was clear then that Northland would run away with the game and retain their first-division status easily.

By halftime Northland had scored six converted tries, with Fijian winger Fero Lasagavibau crossing for three and Shoemark for two, to lead 42-0.

Arlidge kicked eight conversions from nine attempts. He left the last one to retiring captain Glenn Taylor, who missed from close to the touchline.

- NZPA