Round nine also sees the Ranfurly Shield on the line again when Hawke’s Bay hosts Wellington at McLean Park on Sunday afternoon.
Find your key match information and team lists below. Note: teams are added as they are named.
Southland v Otago
Friday 6 November, 7.05pm, Rugby Park, Invercargill
Played: 243
Won: Southland 80, Otago 153, Drawn 10
Last match: Otago 41, Southland 22 (17 August 2019)
Referee: Brendon Pickerill
Statchat (Opta): Otago have won their last seven consecutive Mitre 10 Cup games against Southland; the last – and only previous – time that they won more in succession against them was an eight-game stretch from 1978 to 1995.
TEAMS
Southland
1: Ethan De Groot 2: Greg Pleasants-Tate 3: Siate Tokolahi 4: Manaaki Selby-Rickitt 5: Michael McKee 6: Charles Alaimalo 7: Matthew James 8: Tony Lamborn 9: Logan Crowley 10: Scott Eade 11: Tevita Latu 12: Raymond Nu’u 13: Isaac Te Tamaki 14: Kieran Lee 15: Rory van Vugt
Reserves: Talemaitoga Tuapati, Joseph Walsh, Christopher Apoua, Raymond Tatafu, Jacob Coghlan, Liam Howley, Greg Dyer, Jaye Thompson
Otago
1: Jamie Mackintosh, 2: Ricky Jackson, 3: Josh Hohneck, 4: Jack Regan, 5: Will Tucker, 6: Charles Elton, 7: Slade McDowall, 8: Dylan Nel, 9: Jono Hickey, 10: Josh Ioane, 11: Vilimoni Koroi, 12: Patelesio Tomkinson, 13: Josh Timu, 14: Freedom Vahaakolo 15: Michael Collins
Reserves: Henry Bell, Jonah Aoina, Hisa Sasagi, Josh Hill, Sione Misiloi, James Arscott, Aleki Morris-Lome, Matt Whanga
Auckland v Northland
Saturday 7 November, 2.05pm, Eden Park
Played: 119
Won: Auckland 82, Northland 32, Drawn 5
Last match: Northland 10, Auckland 43 (15 August 2019)
Referee: Nick Briant
Statchat (Opta): Northland have won only one of their last eight Mitre 10 Cup games away from home, conceding 50+ points on four occasions in that span.
TEAMS
Auckland
1. James Lay 2. Soane Vikena 3. Angus Ta’avao 4. Hamish Dalzell 5: Liam Hallam-Eames 6. Presley Tufuga 7. Niko Jones 8. Sione Tuipulotu 9. Jonathan Ruru 10. Simon Hickey 11. Salesi Rayasi 12. Harry Plummer 13. Tanielu Tele’a 14. AJ Lam 15. Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: Leni Apisai, Jarred Adams, Marco Fepulea’i, Felix Kalapu, Terrell Peita, Danny Tusitala, Willie Talataina, Joel Cobb
Northland:
1: Luatangi Li, 2: Jordan Olsen (C), 3: Kalolo Tuiloma, 4: Josh Goodhue 5: Sam Caird, 6: Rob Rush, 7: Kane Jacobson, 8: Sam McNamara, 9: Sam Nock, 10: Johnny Cooper, 11: Jone Macilai, 12: Tamati Tua, 13: Rene Ranger, 14: Brady Rush, 15: Mathew Wright
Reserves: Mason Hohaia, Tyler Kearns, Coree Te Whata-Colley, Fano Funaki, Aorangi Stokes, Will Grant, Scott Gregory
North Harbour v Counties Manukau
Saturday 7 November, 4.35pm, North Harbour Stadium
Played: 34
Won: North Harbour 18, Counties Manukau 14, Drawn 2
Last match: North Harbour 25, Counties Manukau 39
Referee: Cam Stone
Statchat (Opta): North Harbour have won nine turnovers per game in the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup, the most of any team in the competition.
TEAMS
North Harbour
1: Teague McElroy, 2: Luteru Tolai, 3: Sione Mafileo, 4: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 5: Jacob Pierce, 6: Ethan Roots, 7: Dillon Hunt (C), 8: Murphy Taramai, 9: Bryn Hall, 10: Bryn Gatland, 11: Tomas Aoake, 12: Antonio Mikaele-Tu’u 13: James Little, 14: Jared Page, 15: Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: Zane Turner, Alex Woonton, Jimmy Roots, Xavier Cowley-Tuioti, Tim Sail, Lewis Gjaltema, Fine Inisi, Kade Banks
Counties Manukau
1. Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2. Donald Maka, 3. Suetena Asomua, 4. Sam Slade 5: Matiaha Martin, 6. Jonathan Kawau, 7. Alamanda Motuga, 8. Viliame Taulani, 9. Jonathan Taumateine, 10. Jason Robertson, 11. Sione Fifita 12: Orbyn Leger (C) 13: Sione Molia, 14. Kirisi Kuridrani, 15. Etene Nanai-Seturo
Reserves: Zuriel Toniatama, Clinton Malolua, Conan O’Donnell, Viliame Rarasea, Dylan Leckner, Cameron Roigard, Kalione Hala, Luteru Laulala
Tasman v Canterbury
Saturday 7 November, 7.05pm, Landsdowne Park, Blenheim
Played: 18
Won: Tasman 6, Canterbury 12
Last match: Canterbury 8, Tasman 23 (18 August 2019)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Statchat (Opta): Tasman have won their last two regular season games against Canterbury in the Mitre 10 Cup; it’s the only time they’ve logged back-to-back wins in the regular season against them.
TEAMS
Tasman
1: Isileli Tuungafasi 2: Andrew Makalio 3: Isaac Salmon, 4: Alex Ainley 5: Quinten Strange 6: Hugh Renton 7: Sione Havili Talitui 8: Taina Fox-Matamua 9: Finlay Christie 10: Mitchell Hunt 11: Leicester Faingaanuku 12: Alex Nankivell 13: Fetuli Paea 14: Mark Telea 15: David Havili (C)
Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Ryan Coxon, Samuel Matenga, Isaac Ross, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Dwayne Polataivao, Timothy O’Malley, Kieron Fonotia
Canterbury
1: Daniel Lienert-Brown 2: Brodie McAlister 3: Oliver Jager 4: Luke Romano 5: Sam Darry 6: Billy Harmon 7: Tom Christie 8: Reed Prinsep © 9: Mitchell Drummond 10: Brett Cameron 11: Ngatungane Punivai 12: Rameka Poihipi 13: Dallas McLeod 14: Chay Fihaki 15: Josh McKay
Reserves: Shilo Klein, Finlay Brewis, Tamaiti Williams, Liam Allen, Tom Sanders, Ereatara Enari, Isaiah Punivai, Andrew Knewstubb
Hawke’s Bay v Wellington (Ranfurly Shield)
Sunday 8 November, 2.05pm, McLean Park, Napier
Played: 101
Won: Hawke’s Bay 32, Wellington 62, Drawn 7
Last match: 27-27
Referee: Richard Kelly
Statchat (Opta): Wellington have only beaten Hawkes Bay away from home twice out of 9 attempts in the Mitre 10 Cup dating back to 1992; their last meeting was a 27-all draw.
TEAMS
Hawke’s Bay
1: Pouri Rakete-Stones 2: Ash Dixon (C) 3: Joe Apikotoa 4: Geoff Cridge 5: Tom Parsons, 6: Marino Mikaele-Tu’u 7: Brendon O’Connor 8: Devan Flanders 9: Folau Fakatava 10: Caleb Makene 11: Jonah Lowe 12: Neria Fomai 13: Stacey Ili 14: Lolagi Visinia 15: Kurt Baker
Reserves: Kianu Kereru-Symes, Sona Taumalolo, Namatahi Waa, Isaia Walker-Leaware, Gareth Evans, Lincoln McClutchie Connor McLeod, Danny Toala
Wellington:
1: Xavier Numia, 2: James O’Reilly, 3: Alex Fidow, 4: James Blackwell ©, 5: Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 6: Vaea Fifita, 7: Mateaki Kafatolu, 8: Teariki Ben-Nicholas, 9: Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 10: Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11: Julian Savea, 12: Vince Aso 13: Pepesana Patafilo 14: Wes Goosen, 15: Billy Proctor
Reserves: Tyrone Thompson, Morgan Poi, Kaliopasi Uluilakepa, Taine Plumtree, Sam Smith, Connor Collins, Aidan Morgan, Ruben Love
Waikato v Bay of Plenty
Sunday 8 November, 2.05pm, FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Played: 84
Won: Waikato 53, Bay of Plenty 27, Drawn 4
Last match: Bay of Plenty 40, Waikato 14 (18 August 2019)
Referee: Dan Waenga
Statchat (Opta): Luke Jacobson (Waikato) has the most carries this season in the Mitre 10 Cup with 81 for a total of 227 metres gained.
TEAMS
Waikato
TBC
Bay of Plenty
1: Jordan Lay, 2: Kurt Eklund, 3: Jeff Thwaites, 4: Stan Van den Hoven, 5: : Kane Le'aupepe, 6: Joe Johnston 7: Mitch Karpik 8: Sam Dickson, 9: Luke Campbell, 10: Otere Black (C), 11: Joe Webber 12: Chase Tiatia, 13: Mathew Skipwith-Garland, 14: Emoni Narawa, 15: Kaleb Trask
Reserves: Nathan Vella, Tevita Mafileo, Ross Geldenhuys, Keppa Mewett, Zane Kapeli, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Scott Curry, Fa’asiu Fuitai
Manawatu v Taranaki
Sunday 8 November, 4.35pm, Manfeild
Played: 91
Won: Manawatu 24, Taranaki 60, Drawn 7
Last match: Manawatu 10, Taranaki 13 (17 August 2019)
Referee: Angus Mabey
Statchat (Opta): Taranaki have won the last 5 meetings between these two teams in the Mitre 10 Cup. In 3 of those games, Taranaki managed to score more than 40 points.
TEAMS
Manawatu:
TBC
Taranaki
1: Jared Proffit 2: Bradley Slater, 3: Donald Brighouse, 4: Josh Lord, 5: Mitchell Brown (C) 6: Mitchell Crosswell 7: Lachlan Boshier, 8: Kaylum Boshier, 9: Lisati Milo-Harris, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11: Lewis Ormond, 12: Daniel Waite, 13: Sean Wainui, 14: Jacob Raumaitayuki-Kneepkens, 15: Jayson Potroz
Reserves: Ricky Riccitelli, Chris Gawler, Reuben O’Neill, Pita Gus Sowakula, Tom Florence, Warwick Lahmert, Lukas Halls, Codey Rei