Rugby: Harbour sunk in battle of the North

Lachie Munro of Northland scores a try during the Air New Zealand Cup match between North Harbour and Northland. Photo / Getty Images

Northland swept back from a halftime deficit to pip North Harbour 26-23 in an Air NZ Cup match that defied rugby's basic tenets in Albany tonight.

Despite struggling at the set piece and spending the majority of the game inside their own territory, Northland somehow conjured their second win of the season.

It left a frustrated North Harbour reflecting on their third successive loss after the Craig Dowd and Jeff Wilson-coached team had promised plenty when upsetting Canterbury in their season opener.

Some impressive rugby saw North Harbour turn around an early 3-10 scoreline to lead 16-10 at the break.

However, they were caught on the break too often by a Northland side who rattled off 16 unanswered points during a decisive 20-minute period.

The key moment was a breakout try to young Northland right winger Brook Gilmore, who halted a North Harbour attack with an intercept of first five-eighth Michael Harris' pass.

He scampered 80m, twice shrugging off former All Black Anthony Tuitavake along the way.

North Harbour lock Filo Paulo burrowed over with 7min remaining to lift his side within three points but they never threatened again.

Both teams scored two tries while Harris and his Northland counterpart Lachie Munro landed all 11 shots at goal between them in perfect conditions.

The difference was that Munro landed an extra penalty as part of his 21-point haul.

He scored their first try in the 10th minute via a sweet double around with fullback Jared Payne.

A bright point for North Harbour was the impressive return of winger Rudi Wulf, who scored their opening try in the 23rd minute in his first first-class game since injuring himself ahead of the first All Blacks test of the year.

- NZPA