Tingling battle for last two NPC semi spots

By CHRIS RATTUE

Wellington for a home semifinal, and Canterbury to also figure in the playoffs.

Those are the nearest things to certainties going into the last round of the NPC, unless the unthinkable should occur and Northland win the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch and Wellington lose in Invercargill. And the chances of that? No chance.

Last year's beaten finalists, Wellington, are already in the playoffs and are set to finish top of the table.

They are safe because the fifth and sixth-placed teams, Waikato and North Harbour, can finish only level with them. Wellington beat both those teams so would finish above them.

But Waikato and North Harbour are not necessarily assured of semifinal places with last-round victories.

Canterbury should trundle in against Northland on Saturday but need other results to go their way to have a home semifinal.

So that will leave two brilliant cut-throat battles to decide the other NPC contenders.

The first will be in New Plymouth on Saturday afternoon, where an injury-ravaged Waikato will take on a Taranaki team struggling to find some of its early-season form.

And then on Sunday, North Harbour will host the darlings of the competition - Bay of Plenty.

This has been one of the most tantalising NPC battles for many years, simply because two minnows - Taranaki and Bay of Plenty - have been strong contenders throughout.

What a performance from Taranaki and Bay of Plenty - and especially the Steamers, who were first division cannon fodder just a few seasons ago.

Should Taranaki and Bay of Plenty emerge from the final round games in victory and on the same amount of competition points - and be level in second place - then Taranaki will get the home semifinal.

In the NPC, level teams are separated by the result of their match, and Taranaki crushed Bay of Plenty, who were in the midst of their Ranfurly Shield glories.

Should Bay of Plenty get a home semifinal, it would be played in Rotorua because there are no rugby floodlights at Blue Chip Stadium in Mt Maunganui.

Remarkably, going into the final round, two Super 12 host franchise unions - last year's champions Auckland and Otago - are out of contention, with Southland and Northland.

This week, much attention will centre on the fitness of Waikato stars Byron Kelleher and Tom Willis.

Waikato coach John Mitchell gives Kelleher, who blew a calf muscle at training on Friday, little chance of playing against Taranaki.

Willis has back soreness which forced him out of yesterday's clash against North Harbour, but it is said not to be directly related to the back operation which sidelined him for nearly six months.

North Harbour have their South African lock Greg Rawlinson in some doubt with a shoulder problem suffered against Waikato.

Bay of Plenty, meanwhile, will hope their prop Simms Davison can make a return from injury.

NPC fixtures, results and standings
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