Counties Manukau are steeling themselves for their first stern Ranfurly Shield defence of the season in Pukekohe this afternoon.

It’s two games and two wins for Southland. After easing past Bay of Plenty last week, the Stags kept their ITM Cup campaign rolling with a 25-21 victory over North Harbour in Albany tonight.

Southland saved the best until last to fend off Bay of Plenty by 34 - 23 in Invercargill.

Staring at the changing room floor of Invercargill's Rugby Park, trying to keep the nausea at bay, Shane Cleaver knew the day wasn't going to end well.

Nature abhors a vacuum and so does a genuine rugby fan, so we shall use this rugby-free weekend to recharge the batteries and to prepare for the ITM Cup.

Provincial rugby is in solid financial health, the latest audit of the 14 ITM Cup unions shows.

North Harbour are aiming for the ITM Championship semifinals this season and that looks a realistic goal when you examine their squad.

The Auckland Rugby Union is looking at the possibility of shifting their ITM Cup home games away from Eden Park as paltry crowds hit them financially.

The past 12 months have been heady ones in the rugby life of Atu Moli.

Former All Black Sonny Bill Williams has signed a two-year deal with the Counties Manukau Steelers.

John Kirwan is advocating the return of transfer fees so Auckland and the Blues do not continue to be castigated for losing players they may have helped develop.

Tim Bateman has put family first in his decision to leave the Hurricanes at the end of the Super Rugby season.

The search for a new coaching team for Sir John Kirwan and the 2015 Blues will kick off in earnest next month, but it appears Tana Umaga has ruled himself out of contention.

European clubs snaffle the coaches and Australian Super Rugby teams nab the players — the ITM Cup is certainly filling its brief as a development competition.

It was not quite a case of Simon who? when the Blues promoted Simon Hickey to five-eighths for tonight's Super 15 duel with the Crusaders.