Rugby: Waikato storm past Harbour

Dwayne Sweeney of Waikato fends off George Pisi of North Harbour during the Air New Zealand Cup match between Waikato and North Harbour. Photo / Getty Images

Waikato notched their fifth win in six matches when they beat North Harbour 33-22 at Hamilton tonight to keep their Air NZ Cup rugby semifinals hopes alive.

Tries to Liam Messam, Tim Mikkelson, Dwayne Sweeney and Henry Speight saw them collect just their second bonus point in 10 matches and push themselves into temporary occupation of fourth spot on the table on 26 points.

For North Harbour, after two back-to-back wins, the loss extinguished any slim hopes they may have had about contesting the playoffs.

Waikato welcomed back All Blacks Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald and Aled de Malmanche into their starting lineup and stole an early match within two minutes, with Messam finishing off a Sweeney burst.

Harbour held off the wide ranging backline attacks that Leonard and Donald sparked through the first half and Waikato had to be content with three Callum Bruce penalties, while Harbour only had one Michael Harris penalty to show for their efforts at halftime.

Harbour took first blood in the second half when fullback and skipper Jake McPhee jinked through a gap to open an clear path for George Pisi to race through and score.

But Waikato replied emphatically with two tries, the first to Mikkelson who galloped down the tramline on the right after Sosene Anesi outwitted a scrambling Harbour defence.

The second saw Sweeney, easily Harbour's most menacing player with ball in hand, rewarded for a busy night when he collected a beautifully timed cut-out pass from Messam.

But Waikato, eyeing a bonus point, almost paid a heavy price as Harbour counterpunched with two tries of their own.

Ken Pisi could not believe his luck when Anesi dropped an inside pass from Sweeney at his feet for him to collect and score.

Nafi Tuitavake was next, finishing off a backline riposte through a loose Waikato defensive line.

But Donald, who last played in Waikato colours in the fifth round, stepped up in the 75th minute to seal the win.

He launched a crossfield kick for substitute Speight to collect the loose ball and score after a wicked bounce left Harbour wing Rudi Wulf stranded.

- NZPA