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.

Take a quick look at the ITM Cup ladder and you'd think Auckland had made a convincing start to the season.

Counties Manukau's foray into the premiership division was going to be tough enough anyway.

Canterbury were said to be preparing for a backlash from a Waikato team on the rebound from losing the Ranfurly Shield; instead the Mooloo men ran into a Colin Slade-inspired ambush tonight.

Campbell BurnesIn a game full of niggle and characteristic Crusaders cousins' intensity, Canterbury eventually subdued the Tasman Makos at a sunny, but windswept Landsdowne Park in Blenheim.