Premiership leaders Auckland took out defending champions Tasman last week and will be hoping to back it up with a victory over North Harbour in the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ on Saturday.
In the Championship, the Ranfurly Shield is back on the line when Hawke’s Bay face Manawatu at 4.35pm on Saturday afternoon.
Find your key match information and team lists below. Note: teams are added as they are named.
Otago v Northland
Friday 23 October, 7.05pm, Forsyth Barr Stadium
Played: 49
Won: Otago 35, Northland 12, Drawn 2
Last match: Otago 10, Northland 40 (13 October 2019)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Statchat (Opta): Northland picked up 40-10 win in their last Mitre 10 Cup game against Otago (Round 10, 2019), their biggest ever against them; they’ll now hunt for back-to-back wins against Otago for just the second time since 1980 after doing so last in 2010/11.
TEAMS
Otago
1: Jamie Mackintosh, 2: Liam Coltman, 3: Josh Hohneck, 4: Jack Regan, 5: Josh Dickson, 6: Charles Eaton, 7: Dylan Nel, 8: Sione Misiloi, 9: Kayne Hammngton, 10: Jono Hickey, 11: Jona Narkei, 12: Matt Whanga, 13: Josh Timu, 14: Freedom Vahaakolo 15: Michael Collins
Reserves: Ricky Jackson, Jonah Aoina, Yoshihisa Sasagi, Will Tucker, Nasi Manu, James Arscott, Harrison Boyle, Giovanni Leituala
Northland:
1: Ross Wright, 2: Jordan Olsen, 3: Kalolo Tuiloma, 4: Josh Goodhue 5: Temo Mayanavanua, 6: Tom Robinson, 7: Kara Pryor, 8: Matt Matich, 9: Will Grant, 10: Dan Hawkins, 11: Pisi Leilua, 12: Kalani Going, 13: Rene Ranger, 14: Jone Macilai, 15: Scott Gregory
Reserves: Paddy Atkins, Tyler Kearns, Coree Te Whata-Colley, Sam Caird, Rob Rush, Sam Nock, Johnny Cooper, Brady Rush
Bay of Plenty v Canterbury
Saturday 24 October, 2.05pm, Tauranga Domain
Played: 35
Won: Bay of Plenty 8, Canterbury 25, drawn 2
Last match: Canterbury 31, Bay of Plenty 19 (1 September 2018)
Referee: Cam Stone
Statchat (Opta): Canterbury have won 12 of their last 14 Mitre 10 Cup games against Bay of Plenty (L2), including wins in their last three meetings by an average margin of 28 points per game.
TEAMS
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, Scott Curry, Zane Kapeli, Leroy Carter, Dan Hollinshead, Cole Forbes
Canterbury:
1: Daniel Lienert-Brown 2: Shilo Klein 3: Tamaiti Williams 4: Mitchell Dunshea 5: Sam Darry 6: Reed Prinsep © 7: Tom Christie 8: Cullen Grace 9: Enari Ereatara 10: Fergus Burke 11: Josh McKay 12: Rameka Poihipi 13: Ngatungane Punivai 14: Chay Fihaki 15: Andrew Knewstubb
Reserves: Scott Mellow, Finlay Brewis, Luke Romano, Fletcher Newell, Billy Harmon, Mitchell Drummond, Brett Cameron, Dallas McLeod
Hawke’s Bay v Manawatu (RS)
Saturday 24 October, 4.35pm, McLean Park, Napier
Played: 102
Won: Hawke’s Bay 67, Manawatu 32, Drawn 3
Last match: Hawke’s Bay 31, Manawatu 13 (11 August 2019)
Referee: Nick Briant
Statchat (Opta): Manawatu have lost their last seven Mitre 10 Cup games heading into this fixture; the last time they lost more was an eight-game stretch in 2009 which included a 35-30 loss to Hawkes Bay.
TEAMS
Hawke’s Bay
1: Pouri Rakete-Stones 2: Ash Dixon 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: Lincoln McClutchie 11: Jonah Lowe 12: Danny Toala 13: Stacey Ili 14: Lolagi Visinia 15: Caleb Makene
Reserves: Kianu Kereru-Symes, Jason Long, Joel Hintz, Isaia Walker-Leaware, Gareth Evans, Connor McLeod, Jonah Lowe, Kurt Baker
Manawatu:
1: Solomona Sakalia 2: Sam Stewart 3: Michael Alaalatoa 4: Micaiah Torrance-Read 5: Liam Mitchell 6: Howden Te Kamaka 7: Shamus Hurley-Langton 8: Kirk Tufuga 9: Jamie Booth 10: Ben Wyness 11: Te Rangatira Waitokia 12: James Tofa 13: Josiah Maraku 14: Nigel Ah Wong 15: Nehe Milner-Skudder
Reserves: Siua Maile, Tietie Tuimauga, Paulo Leleisiuao, Teofilo Paulo, Johnny Galloway, Bryn Wilson, Drew Wild, Adam Boult
North Harbour v Auckland
Saturday 24 October, 7.05pm, North Harbour Stadium
Played: 38
Won: North Harbour 7, Auckland 29, Drawn 2
Last match: 28-28 (9 August 2019)
Referee: Richard Kelly
Statchat (Opta): North Harbour played out a 28-28 draw in their last Mitre 10 Cup game against Auckland, after having won only one of their last seven games against them in the competition (L6).
TEAMS
North Harbour:
1: Nic Mayhew, 2: Luteru Tolai, 3: Sione Mafileo, 4: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 5: Jacob Pierce, 6: Ethan Roots, 7: Dillon Hunt, 8: Murphy Taramai, 9: Bryn Hall, 10: Bryn Gatland, 11: Tomas Aoake, 12: Jack Heighton 13: James Little, 14: Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 15: Shaun Stevenson
Reserves: Zane Turner, Teague McElroy, Jimmy Roots, Xavier Cowley-Tuioti, Tim Sail, Lewis Gjaletma, Antonio Mikaele-Tu’u, Jared Page
Auckland
1. James Lay 2. Leni Apisai 3. Marcel Renata 4. Scott Scrafton 5. Hamish Dalzell 6. Adrian Choat 7. Blake Gibson 8. Akira Ioane 9. Jonathan Ruru 10. Harry Plummer 11. Tanielu Tele’a 12. Inga Finau 13. Tumua Manu 14. AJ Lam 15. Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: Michelangelo Sosene-Feagai, Jarred Adams, Marco Fepulea’i, Liam Hallam-Eames, Sione Tuipulotu, Danny Tusitala, Simon Hickey, Joel Cobb
Tasman v Southland
Sunday 25 October, 2.05pm, Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Played: 11
Won: Tasman 7, Southland 4
Last match: Tasman 45, Southland 24 (26 August 2018)
Referee: James Doleman
Statchat (Opta): Tasman have won their last seven Mitre 10 Cup games on the bounce against Southland by an average margin of 24 points per game, after they had lost their first four encounters with the Stags in the competition from 2006 to 2010.
TEAMS
Tasman
1: Ryan Coxon 2: Andrew Makalio 3: Samuel Matenga, 4: Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta 5: Isaac Ross 6: Hugh Renton 7: Sione Talitu Havili 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
Reserves: Sam Moli, Isileli Tuungafasi, Isaac Salmon, Alex Ainley, Anton Segner, Louie Chapman, Timothy O’Malley, Kieron Fonotia
Southland
1: Joseph Walsh 2: Sabastian Siataga 3: Christopher Apoua 4: Craig Smith 5: Raymond Tatafu 6: Charles Alaimalo 7: Tony Lamborn 8: Arese Poliko 9: Liam Howley 10: Gregory Dyer 11: Kieran Lee 12: Raymond Nu’u 13: Isaac Te Tamaki 14: Tevita Latu 15: Rory van Vugt
Reserves: Greg Pleasants-Tate, Niko Manaena, Viliami Tosi, Glenn Preston, Jacob Coghlan, Scott Eade, Jaye Thompson
Counties Manukau v Wellington
Sunday 25 October, 2.05pm, Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe
Played: 34
Won: Counties Manukau 12, Wellington 20, Drawn 2
Last match: Counties Manukau 22, Wellington 29 (29 August 2019)
Referee: Dan Waenga
Statchat (Opta): Counties Manukau picked up a 36-30 win over Manawatu in their last Mitre 10 Cup home game, arresting a 12-game losing streak on their own patch in the process.
TEAMS
Counties Manukau
1. Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 2. Donald Maka, 3. Conan O’Donnell, 4. Mickey Wooliams 5: Potu Leavasa, 6. Sam Slade, 7. Alamanda Motuga, 8. Kieran Read, 9. Jonathan Taumateine, 10. Jason Robertson, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo 12: Latiume Fosita 13: Sione Molia ©, 14. Tevita Nabura, 15. Luteru Laulala
Reserves: Zuriel Toniatama, Clinton Malolua, Suetena Asomua, Matiaha Martin, Viliame Taulani, Cameron Roigard, Baden Kerr, Kirisi Kuridrani
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: Connor Collins, 10: Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11: Julian Savea, 12: Vince Aso 13: Billy Proctor, 14: Wes Goosen, 15: Ruben Love
Reserves: Tyrone Thompson, Morgan Poi, Ben Aumua-Peseta, Caleb Delany, Sam Smith, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Aidan Morgan, Pepesana Patafilo
Waikato v Taranaki
Sunday 25 October, 4.35pm, FMG Stadium Waikato
Played: 83
Won: Waikato 44, Taranaki 32, Drawn 7
Last match: Waikato 38, Taranaki 19 (6 October 2019)
Referee: Angus Mabey
Statchat (Opta): Waikato have made 85 clean breaks this Mitre 10 Cup season, 16 more than any other team in the competition; Liam Coombes-Fabling’s 11 clean breaks are the joint-most of any player.
TEAMS
Waikato
TBC
Taranaki
1: Jared Proffit 2: Ricky Riccitelli, 3: Reuben O’Neill, 4: Josh Lord, 5: Mitchell Brown 6: Mitchell Crosswell 7: Lachlan Boshier, 8: Kaylum Boshier, 9: Lisati Milo-Harris, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11: Codey Rei, 12: Lukas Hall, 13: Sean Wainui, 14: Jacob Raumaitayuki-Kneepkens, 15: Jayson Potroz
Reserves: Bradley Slater, Chris Gawler, Donald Brighouse, Findlamor Hoeata, Tom Florence, Warwick Lahmert, Brayton Northcott-Hill, Codey Rei, Lewis Ormand