Having been beaten by Waikato and Auckland in their earlier games, Northland came back from their bye to achieve their first win of the season.
Down 10-20 at halftime, Northland kept the home team scoreless in the second half with Tyler Nankivell leading the way with a bag of four tries to secure Northland's record of tries in a game, beating the three tries scored Savannah Bodman and Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, both achieved last season.
Manawatu kept their hopes of a play-offs berth alive when taking a 31-28 win from Wellington in their game on Friday at SKY Stadium.
In the final count the indiscipline of Wellington within goal-kicking distance for Manawatu ace Selica Winiata made the difference on the scoreboard with three penalty goals landed.
Wellington did claim a penalty try but it was not enough in the final count.
Canterbury remained unbeaten with a 72-15 win over Hawke's Bay to sit three points clear of Wellington with Manawatu and Otago two points behind.
Otago boosted their hopes with a 67-24 win over Tasman with Hinemoa Watene, Kilistine Moata'ane and Bree Thomas each scoring a brace of tries.
In the northern pool Auckland thrashed neighbours North Harbour 72-0 running in 12 tries to sit on 16 points. Unbeaten Waikato are also handy on 13 points having had the bye this round. Counties Manukau, in spite of their loss to Northland, share third place on 10 points with Bay of Plenty.
Farah Palmer Cup – Week 4
Wellington v Manawatu
Wellington 28 (Thamsyn Newton, Ayesha Leti-l'iga, Joanah Ngan-Woo tries; Penalty try; Newton 3 con) Manawatu 31 (Janna Vaughan 2, Crystal Mayes, Carys Dallinger tries; Selica Winiata con, 3 pen). HT: 14-23
Tasman v Otago
Tasman 24 (Stephani Mitchell 2, Anna Bradley, Ashley Ulutupu tries; Eve Findlay 2 con) Otago 67 (Hinemoa Watene 2, Kilistine Moata'ane 2, Bree Thomas 2, Leah Miles, Amy du Plessis, Meg Breen, Rosie Kelly, Teilah Ferguson tries; Kelly 6 con). HT: 5-33
North Harbour v Auckland
North Harbour 0 Auckland 72 (Daynah Nankivell 2, Patricia Maliepo, Grace Kukutai 2, Charmaine McMennamin, Saphire Abraham 2, Ruahei Demant, Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, Shannon Leota, Joeannah Uaseli-Purcell tries; Maliepo 6 con). HT: 0-38
Bay of Plenty v Taranaki
Bay of Plenty 73 (Risaleaana Pouri-Lane 2, Pia Tapsell, Mahina Paul, Alena Saili 2, H Parata-Kingi 2, Luka O'Connor, Kelsie Wills, Natalie Delamere, Esra van Ramele, A.N. Other tries; Parata-King 3 con; K Tahere con) Taranaki 17 (Paige Neilson 2, Tiana Davison tries; Gayle Broughton con). HT: 41-0
Hawke's Bay v Canterbury
Hawke's Bay 15 (Niamh Jefferson, Cortez Te Pou, Ashley Palu tries) Canterbury 72 (Alana Bremner 2, Martha Lolohea 2, Grace Brooker 2, Lucy Anderson, Kendra Cocksedge, Isabella Waterman, Grace Steinmetz, Sam Curtis, Trina Greenslade tries; Cocksedge 4 con; Waterman 2 con)
Counties Manukau v Northland
Countries Manukau 20 (K Mailata, Ngatokutoru Arakua, Shonte To'a tries; Hazel Tubic con, pen) Northland 32 (Tyler Nankivell 4, Leilani Erwin tries; Timara Leaf 2 con, pen). HT: 20-10
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