North Harbour made enough of the early impact but Hawke’s Bay showed why they are the Ranfurly Shield holders by fighting back late in their ITM Cup Championship match at Albany last night.

Counties-Manukau managed their first win over Wellington since 2010, hammering one nail in the capital's 2014 rugby coffin.

Manawatu snatched victory from the throes of defeat with a 76th-minute penalty to cement their spot atop the ITM Cup Championship with their sixth win from eight games.

Taranaki took a large stride towards a home Premiership semifinal with a 35-22 victory over second half specialists Auckland before 7611 at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium.

He says he hates interviews, but that can't possibly be because he doesn't like talking. Trust me, Kieran Keane, KK, head honcho of

Substitute Latiume Fosita stepped off the bench to hand Northland an nail-biting win over Bay of Plenty in Tauranga tonight.

North Harbour engineered the boilover of the season, tipping over the competition leaders 29-24 with a hard-headed, committed, and largely composed display in Albany.

North Harbour is hoping wing Tevita Li can up his work-rate and rediscover his form as they prepare for tonight's ITM Cup crossover clash with Canterbury in Albany.

This wasn't the homecoming that Jason Woodward envisaged, writes Daniel Richardson.

After a solid, 32-7 dismantling of North Harbour in Saturday's annual grudge match at Eden Park, Auckland lie fourth in the Premiership as they gear up for an away trip.

Manawatu kept themselves in the box seat for a home semifinal after dismissing Southland 41-20 at FMG Stadium tonight.

The rivalry between Auckland and North Harbour has paled significantly since the infamous Battle of Onewa 20 years ago, with the neighbouring sides playing out a dour, scrappy encounter at Eden Park tonight.

Hawkes Bay deserved to retain the Ranfurly Shield with a convincing second defence led by halfback Chris Eaton and first five-eighths Ihaia West.

Robbie Robinson can't wait for his first North Harbour-Auckland clash this afternoon, and feels it may be akin to the famed Southland-Otago rivalry he knows so well.

The majority of rugby people would have been shocked if the Steelers had won their first match over Canterbury since Joeli Vidiri's heyday in 1998, but the visitors to Pukekohe did enough to go 6-0 for the season in their 28-20 win.

Whether blowing away the opposition, edging nail-biters or grinding out patchy victories - Taranaki just keep on winning.

Tasman continue to impress during their maiden season in the ITM Cup’s Premiership division.

Hawkes Bay banished the bad memories of last year's brief Ranfurly Shield reign by blowing away Otago today to retain the Log o' Wood

Auckland coach Paul Feeney must be a master of the halftime team talk, though he probably wishes his oratory skills were less essential.

Auckland need more of the second-half commitment which saw them steal victory from Wellington when they face Bay of Plenty in today's crossover clash in Rotorua.

At the start of the ITM Cup many would have predicted the week five match between Canterbury and Wellington to be a clash of two unbeaten teams.

The upsets keep coming in the ITM Cup.