The NPC is under way, and we have had the biggest result we will get all year.
Southland 22 — Otago 13.
Not surprisingly, Rugby Park had double the crowd of any other game on opening weekend as the Stags throng went off on the final whistle.
The enduring memory for me was one of the Stags props diving into the crowd.
There were a couple of other upsets, with Wellington beating Auckland and Bay of Plenty towelling Waikato. The rest of the games went with last year’s form and I’m writing this column before Wednesday night’s game between Counties and Bay of Plenty.
Most of our Southern tipsters had a solid start.
Sean from Bayley’s and Simon from GJ Gardner are the early leaders on 14 points.
There are three on 12 then it gets a bit pear-shaped!
My old mate Grant from Carpets & Drapes has had an inauspicious start to the season.
He only garnered nine points on opening weekend so already has ground to make up.
So what happens this weekend? Well, let’s be honest, there is only one game that counts and that is the Shield Challenge in Hawke’s Bay when the Stags go up against the Magpies.
The Bay weren’t that impressive against North Harbour so Southland are a right royal show to achieve the impossible. I’m taking the Stags (12-). Auckland (13+) will be all over Otago like a cheap suit on Friday night, I’m not sure if Otago will win a game in August.
Northland (13+) showed promise and were gutsy against Canterbury and will be too strong for Manawatu in the far North.
Tasman (12-) will tip over Canterbury in Nelson to bag Crusader bragging rights. I thought the red and blacks were singularly unimpressive in their encounter against the Taniwha. Bay of Plenty (13+) will be too strong for North Harbour at the Mount.
Wellington host Taranaki and this game is too close to call, but I’ll take the home side — Wellington (12-) just but it goes either way.
Counties host near neighbours Waikato and surely the Mooloo put in a better performance. Waikato (13+).
Good luck tipsters, you’ll need it.
– By Paul Dwyer