Bay of Plenty — Hawke's Bay: 32:17, Bunnings NPC

Bay of Plenty saw off Hawke's Bay 32-17 in the Bunnings NPC on 2026-09-19. The result shifted expectations considerably. By then, the visitors had been sitting comfortably at the summit. It was a scoreline that reflected more than the table suggested.

The hosts moved further from trouble with the victory. Bay of Plenty remain seventh after eight games, four wins and four defeats carrying them to 21 points. Hawke's Bay drop to second, still leading with six wins from eight matches and 32 points.

Hawke's Bay drop to second, still leading with six wins from eight matches and 32 points. The visitors had looked solid lately. They beat Otago 35-24 and Southland 36-21 in their previous two outings. Bay of Plenty showed flashes too, beating Taranaki 28-24 before losing to Canterbury 28-33. They also managed a narrow win over Auckland 22-19.

We had backed Hawke's Bay at 54 per cent confidence. The match went another way. The hosts threw bodies in the way and made the visitors work harder than the table suggested.

There is unrest in the dressing room when results don't match expectations. Hawke's Bay will make life awkward for whoever comes next. Bay of Plenty now know they can upset the hierarchy.