When a two-time Gillette Cup player of the year gives up playing cricket to focus on rugby, you'd have to think he has some considerable talent in the 15-man code.

Pacesetting Wellington have plenty of frills but it was their defence which won the day as they maintained their unbeaten record this season, against Waikato in Hamilton.

The growing number of players not wearing mouthguards in this season's ITM Cup was behind the crackdown at the weekend.

Auckland's dominance grew, but so did the injury list, as they pounded Northland at Eden Park tonight.

Counties Manukau coach Tana Umaga has escaped any major sanction following a misconduct hearing for abusing referee Glen Jackson after his side's loss to Auckland.

Counties Manukau coach Tana Umaga is being investigated for misconduct by NZ Rugby over comments made following the team's loss to Auckland last weekend.

Counties Manukau did something different this week. In the age of frequent airline travel, the Steelers went by bus to Napier for today's Ranfurly Shield challenge against Hawkes Bay at McLean Park.

Auckland coach Wayne Pivac is happy his team is unbeaten after four matches in the ITM Cup, he's just not impressed with the way they have gone about it.

Shield fever has gone very cold for Otago, who were belted by wonderful long range strikes from Tasman who won 49-16 in Nelson.

When lock Josh Bekhuis crashed over for Southland's second try of tonight's 20-16 victory over Waikato a television commentator joked it was a "try-fest'' for the Stags.

There we were, marvelling at such confusion, and suddenly a quick blast of outstanding rugby broke out.

This week could define the season for Counties Manukau.

All Blacks prop Ben Franks has revealed he thought Hawke's Bay had lost the Ranfurly Shield challenge when the final whistle sounded in Dunedin yesterday.