Rugby: Harbour joy but Auks face bruising week

Jubilant North Harbour players celebrate with the Battle of the Bridge trophy after defeating Auckland. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland players' ears should be burning this week as they look to get their national championship campaign back on track.

With the chance of easing into the top four with a fourth straight win, Auckland were lamentable in losing 16-14 to a gallant North Harbour at Eden Park.

Across the bridge, there will have been a couple of celebratory lemonades as Harbour, 1-from-6 before Saturday, triumphed in the domestic match which means more to them than any other.

In truth, it wasn't an exhilarating contest on Saturday. The first half was largely forgettable and some of the skills on show were poor from both teams.

But Harbour came good at the right time, had the better of the final quarter, got their noses in front and were resilient defenders.

It was a quiet sense of jubilation in the Harbour dressing room immediately after the match, which contrasted sharply with the immediate reaction on referee Vinny Munro awarding them a penalty at a ruck in the final moments to confirm the win.

Then, grown men leaped exultantly into each other's arms like those long-awaited airport reunions; the bear hugs were hearty and robust.

"It doesn't matter what team you play for or where you play. You lose six games on the trot and you feel the pressure," Harbour coach Craig Dowd said.

"One game can change a campaign and it's where we go from here now."

Harbour's only try was instigated by the lively Rudi Wulf, who found a bit of space down the left, and replacement Jack McPhee and George Pisi were involved before rugged second five-eighths Andrew Mailei crossed 22 minutes from the end.

In truth, they had only one other gilt-edged tryscoring chance in the match, when replacement hooker Michael Mayhew and flanker Tom Chamberlain got close on a spirited first-half charge.

Auckland's only try was well worked - ironically off a poorly executed lineout near Harbour's line - with quick hands putting fullback Paul Williams through a big hole to the tryline.

Chamberlain deserved a decent pat for his try-saving tackle on replacement halfback Auvasa Faleali'i after wing Atelia Pakalani sped through the Harbour defensive line midway through the second half.

But Auckland coach Mark Anscombe will have had a crabby weekend.

"No urgency, no accuracy," he said of a dismal effort. "We were very poor. This exposed us for what we are in a lot of areas."

Players can expect some home truths this week ahead of a tricky trip to Tasman next Sunday.

Fingers are crossed that first five-eighths Daniel Bowden recovers from a sprained ankle. Prop Paea Fa'anunu is facing a scan on a knee injury today, the early signs not encouraging.

Hawkes Bay rattled on 25 points before halftime to rout a disappointing Otago 32-10 in Napier, even though they conceded more than twice the number of penalties.

Fullback Israel Dagg got the first of his two tries after 30 seconds; the second involved beating two defenders in a fine piece of work.

Captain Jason Shoemark also got two tries as Hawkes Bay made a big move up the ladder from eighth to fourth.

Northland trailed Manawatu 12-10 at halftime in Palmerston North yesterday, but came good after the break, winning 25-18, scoring three tries to none.

Manawatu did not help themselves with some ordinary defending, missing 14 tackles and making a whopping 26 mistakes, more than twice that credited to the visitors.